


Angel and The Beast

by Silvermastermind



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: AU, Angst, F/M, Lots of Angst, Minor Character Death, Slow Burn, beauty and the beast themed, divine powers at play, except darker
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-21
Updated: 2018-09-19
Packaged: 2018-11-03 03:34:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 22,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10958793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silvermastermind/pseuds/Silvermastermind
Summary: The dishonorable prince of the Shimada Clan was doomed to die by the curse of a dragon, but his fate was changed by an unlikely savior. Cursed to live as a monster, half man, half machine, Genji must learn to live in a world that does not want him.The Angel of Mercy broke divine law by interfering in the domain of another god. As punishment, she must forfeit her wings until she has taken the life of the one she spared. One life for the ability to save countless others, that is the price to pay. But the longer she spends walking the earth, the more she will forget of her true identity. It is up to her to find the cursed man before it is too late.





	1. Divine Intervention

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prologue

Once upon a time there was a selfish young prince. He was notorious for being lazy, vain, and self-centered. He constantly shirked his duties to party and play games, he spent more time worrying about his appearance than his kingdom, and he wasted his family’s money on men and women to warm his bed. Needless to say, he was a disgrace.

His family tried get to get him to see the error of his ways, but he would not listen. They begged him to uphold the family traditions and bring honor to their kingdom, but he only wished to please himself. The arrogant young prince laughed in their faces, scorning them for trying to control him. He claimed to be a free spirit who would not be tamed.

At last, his family could bear the dishonor no longer. They called upon a great dragon spirit to deal with the wayward prince. The dragon, who was bound by honor and duty to serve the family, agreed to test the prince. Should he pass, the dragon would serve him as loyally as it did the rest of the family. Should he fail, the dragon would consume the prince and purge the disgrace from the family once and for all.

The dragon disguised itself as a face the prince would trust. It entered the palace unnoticed and found the prince asleep in his chambers. The prince did not recognize the threat of the dragon, and greeted it in his usual impertinent way. 

“It is midday,” said the dragon. “Why are you still in bed?”

“My head aches,” replied the prince.

“It would not ache if you did not drink so much,” said the dragon.

“Or perhaps I did not drink enough.” The prince laughed and grabbed a bottle of rice wine from his bedside and began to drink from it.

The dragon scowled. “If you drink too much, you will not be able to attend to your duties.”

“That is a shame.” The prince laughed and took another mouthful of wine.

“What of your kingdom? What of your family?”

“What about them? They can handle themselves.”

“Do you not care that you dishonor them with your selfishness?”

“I am simply enjoying myself,” said the prince. “I am allowed to have my fun.”

“Do you not realize it is your family and your people who pay for your pleasures? It is because of them that you are able to take all you want, yet you give nothing in return. You owe it to everyone to be honorable. It is your duty to set an example, to be studious and careful, to be the prince you were born to be.”

“I did not ask to be a prince,” he scoffed. “I did not ask for the titles and duties I must take. I do not see why I should be held to them.”

“You are a disgrace!” the dragon roared, revealing itself at last. “You bring dishonor to your family! You do not deserve your title, you do not deserve your pleasures, and you do not deserve this life!”

The prince realized he was in danger and jumped out of his bed to kneel before the dragon. “Please, great one! Give me another chance!” he begged.

“You have had your chance,” the dragon snarled. “You spent it on liquor and whores! You are not worthy to be a part of this family! I purge you now so that they may live in honor!”

The dragon attacked, consuming the prince and leaving him to die. A bell tolled throughout the town, signaling that the dishonorable prince was gone.

 

The Angel of Mercy saw what happened to the prince and took pity on him. She visited his bleeding and broken body, intent at first to ease his passing. But when she looked into the dying prince’s eyes, she saw a spirit that was determined to live. At that moment, she decided to save him.

She knew why the dragon punished the prince, and she knew it would not be right to return the prince to what he was. So she wove her magic around him carefully, changing his broken limbs to metal and wires. The parts of him that were still intact were heavily scarred. His once handsome features were twisted almost beyond recognition.

“People will fear you,” Mercy whispered. “You will be an outcast with nowhere to belong. Yet should you learn to accept yourself, your honor will be restored.” She brushed his face gently and willed him to sleep. Once his eyes were closed, she placed a helm over his face and disappeared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first work up on ao3! I have a lot of Gency stories in the works, but I hope to finish this one before I start posting others. Comments and criticism are welcome!


	2. The Fickleness of Fate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Genji learns what he has become, and Mercy faces the consequences of her actions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter title may change
> 
>  
> 
> This is basically Prologue, Part 2. Hopefully the next chapters get a bit longer.

When Genji awoke, he felt strange and disoriented. His body was somehow both numb and sore. When he tried to rub his face, he was shocked to see of the arm of a machine. Alarmed, he jumped to his feet only to topple over when he overbalanced. His body felt heavier than normal. Looking down at himself, he could see why.

He was covered in metal plating. It hummed and glowed with strange green lights. When he reached up to touch his face he heard the ting of metal on metal. Scrambling to his feet, Genji rushed to his vanity mirror. His face was covered by a blank helm with only a green strip in the visor served as a window for his eyes.

Horrified, he try to pry off the mask. His fingers slipped along the seams of metal, unable to find a latch. He panicked until he found a set of buttons on either side of his head that loosed the mask. He ripped it off and gazed into his reflection.

His face was ruined. Angry red scars stretched across his skin, mimicking the swipe of a dragon’s talons. His bottom jaw was missing, replaced by one made entirely metal. Any attempts to remove it were fruitless. When he opened his mouth to gape at his appearance, he could see a metal tongue.

Genji fell back onto the floor and sobbed. His life was over, yet he did not have death to comfort him. For some reason he was still alive, transformed into this hideous monster. 

He remembered facing the dragon. He remembered the pain of being torn apart. He could remember the agony and blackness of approaching death and then... nothing. So why was he not dead? What cruel twist of fate caused him to deserve this? Who could do such a thing?

A scream brought his attention back to the room. A maid stood in the doorway staring at him and calling for help. Before he could think, Genji was back on his feet. He slapped the mask back on his face and made a made a dash out of the room. He only paused to grab his sword from its stand before rushing out of the palace entirely. He could hear the guards pursing him even out on the street.

He was halfway through the town before he realized he had nowhere to go. The people he passed screamed at him, calling him an Omnic and yelling for the guards. Some even tried to hit him with improvised weapons, throwing furniture or tools, whatever they had on hand. They all looked at him with malice and fear. He doubted any of them would believe he was their prince.

And even if they did believe him, it would do no good. His family had unleashed the dragon on him; to them he was as good as dead. Any attention he brought to himself would only bring him more grief.

So Genji ran. He did not stop running when the palace guards fired guns at him. He did not stop running when they forced him to climb walls and rooftops to escape their dogs. He did not stop until he was well outside the town, where hid in the forest, hoping they would not find him there.

As soon as he stopped, his body opened vents to release bursts of steam. He was burning inside his metal suit, and his lungs ached from running for so long. He supposed that he should count himself lucky that his metal body was faster than his human one, otherwise he might not have escaped at all.

But Genji was not in the mood to feel lucky. He was confused, scared, and angry. He was homeless with nothing to his name but a sword and a family who wanted him dead. He had nowhere to go and no one to turn to. What place would accept someone who was neither man nor machine?

He drew his sword and gazed at his reflection in the blade. The green light of his visor bounced off the metal and reflected back onto his helm. He angrily slammed the sword back into its sheath and swore right then and there that he would have his revenge. He would find out who did this to him, and he would kill them, but only after he made them suffer a fate worse than death.

 

The Angel of Mercy was summoned before the Council of Gods. She was a lesser denizen and thus subject to their will. She knew why they wanted her, but she believed herself to be in the right and felt no fear. She knelt before the congregation of eastern and western deities and bowed her head in respect.

“Mercy, you are accused of interfering outside of your domain,” said the God of Justice. “Let the accuser state his claim.”

A great blue dragon slithered through the air and landed beside Mercy. Its dark eyes glared at her with contempt.

“I am the Dragon the South Wind,” said the Dragon Lord. “My patronage tasked me to cleanse a deviant from their family. It was my will that he die, but this interloper spared him. She interfered where she had no place to be.”

The God of Justice turned his gaze to Mercy. “Do you deny this claim?”

“No, my lord,” Mercy replied, “but may I speak in my defense?”

The God of Justice nodded for her to proceed.

Mercy stood to her feet as she addressed the Council. “My lords, it is true that I spared the soul of a man doomed to die, but I do not believe my actions are contrary to the will of the Dragon Lord’s. The Dragon was sent to kill a man of ill repute, but when I looked into the soul of the dying man, I saw kindness and strength. The prince he was is dead and gone, but the man he is now has room to learn and grow.”

The Dragon’s mane bristled as he snarled. “Do you realize what you have done? As long as he bears the family name, he shall bring them dishonor! And as long as he lives, he shall put them in danger! Are you so really so foolish? Do you think he will not seem revenge?”

“Then perhaps you should have done a better job killing him,” said the Angel of Death, watching the proceedings from his place beside the God of Justice.

The Dragon roared in fury. His tail lashed wildly, forcing several watching deities to back away.

“How I chose to conduct duties is for me to decide alone!” he growled, clawing at the heavenly plane. “ _She_ is an Angel of the west! She has no place in my territory and no reason to interfere in my business! I will not stand by as she undermines my will and authority!

The Council and witnesses murmured amongst themselves, several noises of agreement rising above the rest. Mercy fluttered her wings nervously. She had hoped to find a few more sympathetic faces in the crowd.

“Everything has its place and its purpose,” said Symmetra, a Goddess of Order. She looked down at Mercy from her seat on the Council. “You were out of place, therefore you had no purpose.”

“Compassion knows no boundaries!” bellowed the mighty Guardian of Honor. “If Mercy chose to save a soul, then she must have had a good reason!”

“Quiet down, Reinhardt,” said the Goddess of Wisdom. “Regardless of her reasons, the fact still remains she acted outside of her own domain. It is against our rules to interfere in the works of other gods unless called upon, which she was not.”

“I don’t see why the Dragon can’t just kill the brat and get this over with,” grumbled the Angel of Death.

“It is not the matter that he lives which concerns me,” growled the Dragon. “It is that fact that I have been slighted! By defying my will, she weakens my name! If I killed him now, it would mean admitting my failure! I will not suffer this disgrace!”

“It was not my intention to disgrace you,” Mercy said, bowing in respect to the Dragon. “The man you were sent to kill did not deserve the fate wished upon him.”

“That is not for you to decide!” he snarled.

“I have heard enough,” said the God of Justice. “Mercy, you are guilty of acting outside of your domain. The Council will now decide your punishment.”

The Dragon of the South Wind whipped his tail impatiently as he waited for the Council to come to a decision. He glared at Mercy and bared his teeth. She folded her wings around herself in a show of humility.

The Council ceased their discussion, and silence abruptly fell throughout the crowd. All eyes shifted between Mercy and the Council as they waited for the final decision. The God of Justice cleared his throat to speak.

“It is our decision that the Angel of Mercy shall be tasked to undo her actions which have undermined the will of another divine being.”

“In other words, she has to kill the brat,” the Angel of Death muttered. The God of Justice shot him a look, before continuing.

“Be it that she has brought disgrace upon the Dragon of the South Wind, so too shall she be disgraced. She will hereby be stripped of her wings and powers until her task is complete.”

Mercy’s eyes widened in horror. Her hands went to her wings automatically, and she clung to the glowing feathers.

“Does this seem fair?” the God of Justice addressed the Dragon Lord.

The Dragon of the South Wind looked at Mercy’s horror stricken appearance and then back up to the council. He nodded. “Yes, this is fair.”

“My lords! I beg you to reconsider!” Mercy cried. “Without me, many innocent people will die!”

“You should have thought about that before you meddled in someone else’s affairs,” hissed the Dragon.

“One life for the lives of many,” said the Angel of Death. “Seems more than a fair price.”

“It goes against my very nature to take a life!” said Mercy “You cannot ask me to do this!”

“We are not asking you,” said Symmetra. “This is your sentence. If you do not take this mortal’s life, then you shall continue the rest of your existence among the men of the earth.”

“Be advised,” said the Goddess of Wisdom. “Without your powers, you will be mortal as well. Your mind will not be able to comprehend this plane. The longer you spend on earth, the more you shall forget about us and your identity.”

“I suggest you find your mark quickly,” said the God of Justice. “You will not have much time before your memories fade.”

“Don’t worry,” said Reinhardt. “I am sure you will succeed. Then we can all put this matter behind us.”

Mercy looked along the faces of the Council and the gathered assemblage. She found no allies among the gods of the north and south, east and west. All deemed her sentencing fair.

She bowed her head in acceptance as the Gods stripped her powers from her. The last thing she saw before she fell to earth was the glittering eyes of the Dragon Lord staring at her with a mixture of smugness and contempt. She closed her eyes against his glare and prepared to meet her fate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Council of Gods is made up deities of many cultures. The most powerful are selected to represent their cultures. Most deities are referred to by their titles, though some have names.
> 
> God of Justice- Soldier 76  
> Goddess of Order- Symmetra  
> Guardian Deity of Honor- Reinhardt  
> Goddess of Wisdom- Ana  
> Angel of Death- Reaper
> 
> There are other gods not mentioned in this chapter, but you can assume most of the Overwatch characters are there.
> 
> Note: Hanzo is a vessel of the Dragon of the South Wind, but not the actual dragon itself. This will be addressed later.


	3. Vagabond

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry

For an instant Mercy was everywhere at once, and then she wasn't. Her consciousness coalesced into a single body standing on the physical plane. Life and death danced behind her eyes as memories of eternity slipped from her mind. She had simultaneously the thoughts of an ancient cosmic being and the bearing of a newborn. It was rather disconcerting.

When she opened her eyes, she found herself alone. The sun was on the horizon, shining light on pale feathers that blew in the wind. She stooped to pick one up off the sandy ground.

“Dove feathers. How fitting,” said a familiar voice.

Mercy whirled around, dropping the feather in her hand. “Gabriel?”

Very few called the Angel of Death by his name. Most called him Reaper, and that was how he liked to be known. But he and Mercy spent much time together flying over battlefields and disaster zones looking for souls to claim or save. It was rumored that Reaper had a soft spot for the younger angel.

Reaper smiled and folded his arms. “Good to see you still recognize me.”

Mercy frowned. “I have only been here for a couple moments. I have not forgotten anything yet.”

“So you think.” Reaper smirked. “How are you adjusting?”

“It is difficult to say.” Mercy looked down at herself and flexed her fingers experimentally. She could feel each second ticking away with her heartbeat. Her body was aging and dying. It was an unusual sensation.

“Try not to think about it too much,” Reaper suggested. “Being human should come to you naturally. You’ll get used to it.”

“That is the problem though. The more human I become, the less angelic I will be. And then I will forget everything.” Mercy clenched her hands into fists.

“Lucky for you, I agreed to keep an eye on you,” Reaper said. “I’m here to steer you on the right path, though your own choices will decide the ultimate outcome of your quest.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that I am here to make sure you don't get yourself killed, but you have to decide what you want to do. The Council was vague on how much I can interact with you, but I can offer you a bit of guidance from time to time. You’re free to call upon the gods just like every other human after all. Doesn't mean they will answer though.”

“But you will?”

“When I’m not busy.” Reaper shrugged.

“Thank you, Gabriel.” Mercy turned to look back at the horizon, feeling slightly less alone, but still lost. “I don't know what to do.”

“I’d start heading that way,” Reaper suggested, pointing east. “Your mark is out there. You should feel a pull towards him when you get closer.”

“I don't think I can do this,” Mercy admitted. “I am not capable of taking a life.”

“It’s either his life or yours,” said Reaper. “And you life is infinitely more valuable than his.”

“But how can you say that? Who are we to decide whose life is more valuable than another’s?”

“You do it all the time,” Reaper reminded her. “Think of it this way: he’s already dead. You are just putting him out of his misery.”

Mercy shook his head. “I gave him a second chance. I know there is a reason I wanted him to live. I just can't remember…”

“You’re already forgetting,” Reaper said. “Clock’s ticking. I suggest you get to him before you forget why you are here at all.”

“Yes, thank you, you are very helpful,” Mercy said sarcastically. “I suppose I’ll just… Gabriel?”

She looked over her shoulder, but Reaper was gone. Mercy sighed and wrapped her arms around herself. She was cold, another unfamiliar sensation.

“I suppose I’ll just figure it out on my own.”

 

Genji’s first instinct was to find shelter. After leaving Hanamura behind, he snuck into a small town and hid himself in a barn. As he relaxed against some old equipment, the lights on his body dimmed. He was left alone with his thoughts in the dark and quiet.

He thought about what happened. It all seemed so surreal. If he could not look down at himself now and see the metal plating on his body he would not have believed any of it to be true. What had he done to deserve this fate? True, he had never been a dutiful son, but did that really warrant his death?

His family did want him dead, he knew that much. Whatever their reasons, their attempt to kill him was unmistakable. Only a Shimada can control the Dragons, and it was definitely a Dragon that tried to kill him. The fact that he was still alive was a mystery. It was unheard of for a Dragon to fail.

Genji blocked out the memories of facing the Dragon. Waking up that morning with a hangover seemed like a lifetime ago, but the pain of his death was still fresh. He was not eager to relive it.

Instead his head swam with the memories of waking in an unfamiliar body. Now that he was still he could take stock of his new form. He could feel his overheated body slowly cooling beneath the armor. He could feel the hydraulics in his limbs locking into position. He could feel his heart beating in his breast and hear it echoing in his ears. He was truly an unnatural conglomerate of metal and man. He had no idea how it happened. No one he knew could do this to him, and no one seemed to recognize him either.

 _This was worse than death,_ Genji thought. If he were dead, he would not feel the pain of loneliness and betrayal. If he were dead, he would not be so lost and confused. Everything he knew was taken from him. His family, his friends, his home, even his body, they were all gone. Whoever did this to him was twisted and cruel. He wondered if they laughed when they planned his torture. He wondered if they were watching him now and laughing still.

He did not know who did this to him or how and why it happened, but he did know who wanted him dead. His thoughts circled back to his family, hands clenching around the sheath of his sword. How furious they must be to know they failed. Perhaps they did not know. If no one recognized him, then it was likely they did not. They probably thought he was dead and gone. _Good_ , Genji thought. It would give him a chance to prove them wrong. They had always been wrong about him, and now they would pay for their misjudgment.

Letting thoughts of revenge burn away the tides of pain, he relaxed and eventually drift to sleep.

 

Mercy’s first impulse was to head west, away from Reaper’s instructions, but that seemed pointless. She had no idea where she was or what to do, but at least having a direction gave her _something_. So she found herself heading towards a cluster of light she assumed to be human civilization.

It was night by the time she got there. Afters hours of walking, she was close enough to see it was a refugee camp. Mercy had seen many as nearly every crisis had displaced souls who needed her help. Even from a distance she could recognize the tents and trucks. There were lots of people moving around, some in uniforms and some in dirty clothes, all illuminated by lanterns. Suddenly a bright light shined on her face.

“Who’s there?” a sharp voice called out.

Mercy shielded her eyes away from the light. Before she could say anything, the light moved away from her face.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Are you lost?”

As Mercy blinked away the spots in her eyes, she could see a woman dressed in a uniform and white coat.

“Yes,” she answered the woman’s question, supposing it was true enough.

“Oh, dear. It’s not safe out here. You should come with me.” She gestured towards the camp.

With nothing else to do, Mercy followed her. The woman smiled at her reassuringly as she lead her deeper into the camp. She seemed kind, and Mercy trusted her.

“What is your name?” the woman asked.

Name! A name! Mercy had not thought this far ahead. Only a few angels had names, and she was not one of them. She could not very well go telling people she was the Angel of Mercy sent to Earth. People would think she was insane!

“Uh, I am- that is- my name is...Angela. My name is Angela.” Not particularly creative, but it was the first thing she could think of.

The woman looked at her funny, but soon seemed to shrug off the weirdness. “Angela, that is a pretty name. What are you doing all the way out here by yourself?”

“I’m looking for someone.” At least that was the truth.

“Hm,” the woman frowned, “It is possible they are here, but unfortunately the camp is really unorganized at the moment. I would help you look, but I’m rather busy.”

“Dr. Ziegler!” another voice called. “We need you over here!”

“Be right there!” she called back. She smiled apologetically at Mercy. “Just as I was saying, duty calls. You can wait in my tent, if you would like. I’ll help you get settled when I get back.”

Mercy nodded and followed the woman’s directions to her tent. She found it easily next to a larger tent with a large red cross on the side.

She sat on one of the cots in the small tent, immediately feeling an ease in her muscles. Fatigue was another of those unfamiliar human sensations. She had not even noticed her exhaustion.

She let her body relax as she considered her situation. She was only given two options, each with their own cost. She could complete her mission and return to the heavens, or she could live out a human life and let those around her suffer. She knew the logical decision was to do whatever it takes to get her wings back, but to take a life..? How could she even consider it?

But she had to consider it. Even though she knew in her heart she could never kill someone, she had to think about the possibility. Countless people would suffer without the Angel of Mercy. One life, one soul, that was all it would take to bring her back.

But would she even be the Angel of Mercy if she took a life? True, she eased the passing of many souls, freeing them of their pain, but she had never deliberately ended one. What had this man done to earn his fate? Why did she have to get involved?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a man entering the tent.

“Alice, have you- Oh! Hello. Who are you?”

Angela stared up at him, but was spared from speaking by the woman doctor from earlier entering just behind him.

“Oh, Leon! I see you’ve met Angela.”

“Angela? That’s a pretty name.” The man smiled. “So what brings you here?”

“She says she’s looking for someone,” the woman answered. “Oh, I’m sorry! I didn't introduce myself earlier. I am Alice Ziegler and this is my husband Leon. We’re with the Swiss Military Relief Corps.

Angela looked between the couple, noting their matching white coats. “You’re both doctors?”

“Yes, we are,” Leon replied. “Speaking of, a new bus just arrived. They need us to check over the new arrivals.”

Alice sighed. “Looks like another long night. Sorry, Angela, I’ll have to help you in the morning. You can sleep in here, if you’d like. Neither of us will be sleeping any time soon. Help yourself to some water in that canteen there. I’ll see if I can send someone over with some food.”

“Thank you,” Mercy replied for lack of anything else to say.

Alice smiled, but it quickly turned into a frown. Before Mercy could ask what was wrong, the doctor removed her white coat and placed it around her shoulders.

“It gets cold at night. You look a little unprotected.” She smiled as she pulled away.

“Thank you.” This time it was more sincere. Mercy smiled and pulled the coat tighter around herself. She had not bothered to notice before, but looking down at herself she realized she was wearing light human clothing. Apparently falling to Earth came with a wardrobe.

Alice smiled back at her. “Get some sleep, we’ll see you in the morning.” She waved and followed her husband outside the tent. They closed the flap behind them.

“You fuss too much,” Mercy heard Leon murmur to his wife.

“Oh, shush. The poor girl looks so lost.”

“I still think you would make a wonderful mother.”

“Mm, talk to me again when we get back to Zurich.”

Mercy smiled as she listened to the doctors walk away. They seemed like a nice couple. Maybe she should stay here with them. After all, they were also ones to bring relief to people in need. Maybe being a doctor was not so different from being an angel.

She yawned. All of day’s the strain, both physical and mental, had taken it’s toll. It was not long before she stretched out on the cot and fell asleep with the doctor’s coat wrapped around her.

 

When Genji woke up, he knew the previous day had not been a dream. Even his wild imagination could not conjure up such a fantasy. Also, he was in a barn. That was a bit of a give away.

It was hours still before dawn. Obviously his new body did not need much sleep. Genji was mildly surprised he slept at all. He awoke in the same position he fell asleep in, sitting cross-legged on the floor with his sword in his lap. As he moved, the lights on his body brightened, illuminating the floor with a soft green glow.

He stood and stretched out of habit. Of course his synthetic limbs were neither stiff nor sore. He bet he could sleep standing up without a problem. It was an odd thought, one he did not feel like entertaining at the moment.

He moved outside to get a better view of his surroundings. The small town was still asleep. He would likely be long gone before even the earliest riser would be awake. That gave him the problem of where he would go next, but it could not be helped. It was too dangerous to stay in one area for long.

Another surprise, Genji realized he was thirsty. It was odd, he could not exactly describe the feeling. It was not like having a parched throat. It felt more like being too hot. It wafted through him in waves, like an oven door opening and closing. Whatever the feeling was, it made him crave water.

He wandered through the town, careful to stay out of view of windows just to be safe. He managed to snatch some unattended bottles of water and then ducked into an alley. It took him a few moments to remove his mask, but after he chugged down a bottle, he felt better.

Thirst quenched, Genji decided to continue exploring the town while he had time. He grabbed a canvas shopping bag and filled it with the remaining bottles of water. He also grabbed some dry food from a vending stand. He did not know if he needed to eat (and he did not want to think about where the food would go), but he decided it was better to be safe than sorry. He did not know the next time he would be able to get supplies.

Just as he finished his pilfering, hr detected movement in his peripheral vision. He drew his sword without thinking, whirling around to face his opponent.

A small light blinked at him. It continued blinking and was joined by the flash of another light as the machinery powered on. It was just a maintenance robot booting up. It was large, bulky, and looked more like a squid than anything else with its arm swinging around like a tentacle. It swiveled around towards him. Genji could almost swear it was looking at him.

“Robots don’t have faces,” he muttered to himself, wincing at the robotic sound of his voice. He scowled as he realized the words technically applied to himself. His blank helm had no face.

The robot blinked its lights at him.

“Don’t look at me like that.”

As if on command, it swiveled around again and began to work. Genji did not stick around long enough to see what it was doing. He grabbed his bag and resheathed his sword, leaving the town and not looking back.

Try as he might, he could not stop his thoughts from drifting back to the automated machine. There were Omnics like that which were big and bulky, and others who were built to look more like men. Either way, they were generally built either for combat or service. Was that what he was going to become? A soldier or a slave? No, he was still part man. Genji decided that as long as he had his will, he would fight for that bit of him that was still human. He was determined now more than ever to prove himself.

 

Mercy was jolted awake by the sound of an explosion. She panicked as she had no idea where she was or what was happening. She could hear people screaming and crying. More thunderous explosions sounded nearby.

She scrambled upright, untangling herself from some blankets and knocking over a tray of food in the process. Her heart raced as she tried to figure out what was happening.

And then she noticed the white coat that fallen to the ground, and she remembered. She was on Earth in the middle of a refugee camp. The kind doctors let her stay in their tent. She had to find them! She had to make sure they were safe!

She picked up the doctor’s coat and pulled it on, scrambling out of tent as fast as she could go. All around her was smoke and fire. Her arm automatically went to her face to shield her mouth and nose from the toxic air. People were running everywhere. Some were attempting to give orders, but everything was in chaos.

She ran to a nearby man in a uniform. “Please, sir, where are the doctors?”

“Hospital tent is that way!” he yelled, pointing back the way she came.

Mercy tried to ask again, more specifically for Dr. Alice and Leon Ziegler, but the man suddenly yelled and threw her to the ground. A long whistle ended in an explosion not far where they had been standing. It showered them with sand and debris.

“Get out of here!” he yelled as he helped her to her feet.

Mercy’s ears rang and her vision was blurry, but she managed to keep herself upright. She suddenly locked eyes with a child standing still in all the chaos. The little girl was crying and biting on her fingers. Without thinking, she made a dash a child.

“Hey! Evac is that way!” the man called, but Mercy ignored him. She reached the child just before another explosion hit.

Once again, Mercy picked herself up off the ground. This time she was holding a small body in her arms. The little girl was unconscious, but still breathing. Blood trickled from a wound on her head.

“Are you alright?” someone called, another person in a uniform.

Mercy nodded. “Yes, but this girl needs medical attention.”

“Give her to me.”

She handed off the child and was given a steadying hand herself. That was when she saw it. The shell of a bus blackened and still burning.

 _“A new bus just arrived,”_ Leon had said. _“They need us to check over the new arrivals.”_

Mercy ran as fast as her legs could take her. People called out to her, but she did not stop to hear what they were saying. She scrambled over burning tents and debris, willing herself not to see the bodies on the ground.

And then she saw what she had desperately hoped she would not see.

Alice and Leon Ziegler lay on the ground facing each other, their hands almost touching. Blood was splattered all over Leon’s white coat and caked in his blonde hair. Alice’s pale eyes were staring blankly at her husband’s face. Both doctors were dead.

Time slowed to a stop.

“You could have helped them, you know,” Reaper said, materializing out of the shadows.

Mercy did not respond. Tears streamed down her face as she looked down at the two kind doctors who just wanted to help other people.

“There will be more like them,” Reaper continued. “Many innocent people who need your help will die. You know what you need to do to stop it.”

Mercy sniffled and nodded. “East?”

“East,” Reaper confirmed.

She took a steadying breath and looked to the rising sun. _I must,_ she thought. _It is the only way._ Yet a piece of her heart still bled for the man she had yet to truly meet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know you all are waiting for them to finally meet, I am too! I have plans for them to cross paths soon, probably in the next chapter. In the meantime, here is a brief summary of what to expect in the future:
> 
> ┏(｀ー´)┛
> 
> └(ﾟдﾟ)┐
> 
> (」ﾟﾛﾟ)｣
> 
> ┐(ﾟдﾟ┐)
> 
> ＼(;´□｀)/
> 
> (●__●)
> 
> (//･_･//)
> 
>  
> 
> ┐(￣ヮ￣)┌


	4. The Search

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry sorry sorry this is so late. I meant to publish a new chapter weeks ago, but then things came up and I got lazy, and let's not forget the amount of time I have to spend playing Overwatch for "inspiration".
> 
> I had to edit and cut this chapter a lot. I probably could have filled up another chapter, but I know we all want to get to Genji and Mercy meeting already.
> 
> Please hold on to your suspension of disbelief in this chapter. I'm trying to make some things reasonably believable, but some explanations got cut in editing, so if your thinking "there is no way that could have happened" just think Angela is really really lucky (or unlucky as the case may be).
> 
> Also rating has changed to reflect some of the violence just to be safe. I'm also editing tags as I go.

She was not aware she had fallen unconscious until someone woke her up. She was confused once again by her surroundings, but more so by the strangers who woke her. They wore different military uniforms and spoke in a different language, which she quickly identified as English.

“Are you alright? What is your name?”

“Angela,” she replied automatically.

“Angela, are you hurt? Can you move?”

Angela moved her limbs experimentally. Everything seemed to be working, but she was sore all over. Her head throbbed, and the ringing in her ears was not helping.

“Better bring her to the med team and have her checked out,” one of the soldiers said.

They helped her to her feet, holding her steady her as she swayed a bit. She took a moment to survey the devastation that was once the refugee camp. Soldiers armed with guns moved between the burnt tents and craters, presumably looking for people like her.

“Hey, doc! We got a live one!” One of the soldiers next to her called.

An unarmed soldier turned and moved towards them. He wore a white armband on his sleeve that bore a red cross. Angela recognized it as the same symbol on the medical tent.

“What do we have here?” he asked.

“Found her unconscious,” one of the soldier replied. “Max managed to revive her.”

“Good work. Leave her to me and go search for others,” the doctor said, dismissing the small group of soldiers. They saluted and walked off with their guns at their sides.

The doctor took out a flashlight and shined it in Angela’s eyes. The bright light stabbed at her headache, but the doctor asked her to hold still. He clicked it off after a few seconds.

“Looks like you have a concussion. Let’s see if you have any other injuries. Does this hurt?”

He began to probe her gently, asking her to flex her muscles and tilt her head. All the while he asked her questions.

“What’s your name?”

“Angela,” Angela repeated.

“Angela Ziegler, I presume?”

Angela looked down at the white coat she was still wearing. The name patch had A. Ziegler written in small red letters. She swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. “That is correct.”

“You’re a doctor?”

“Yes.” The lies felt strange on her tongue, but it was easier than explaining her situation.

“Where are you from, Dr. Ziegler?”

“Zurich.” It was first thing that came to her mind. The Zieglers said something about that place, right?

“Ah, that explains the accent,” the doctor chuckled.

Accent? Angels could speak all languages of man. How could she have an accent? Was she already slipping?

“Looks like you have no broken bones or internal injuries, though I take it you already knew that,” the doctor said, taking a step away from her. “Any pain?”

“My head aches,” Angela admitted. “And my body is sore.

“Which is to be expected. We have some painkillers in the med supplies. Come with me.”

Angela followed the doctor through the ruins of the camp to a group of vehicles parked along the border. After a few attempts to look around, she decided it was best just to keep her eyes forward. There were bodies still strewn on the ground.

“You’re lucky we decided to stop and search for survivors,” the doctor said. “Your camp evacuated hours ago to a site further west. Unfortunately this convoy is headed east.”

“That’s okay,” Angela said. “I am supposed to be heading east.”

“Really?” The doctor looked at her in surprise. “Well I guess you can join us then. Heaven knows it would be good to have another doctor around.”

Angela smiled nervously as she realized she would probably get caught in her lie sometime soon. Yet it was a fortuitous opportunity that would take her closer to her mark. She wondered if she should count herself lucky or not.

 

Genji was restless. He did not settle in any one place, but he made sure not to stray from the Shimada territory. He wanted to keep up with their activity, their dealings, their suppliers, anything that could help him bring down their empire. Things he never cared about before suddenly became crucial information. He needed to know where everyone was at any given time.

He eavesdropped on the conversations of locals, sifting through even the most trivial of gossip for information. He knew most of the coded phrases, that much had not slipped his education. He memorized shipping schedules and snagged magazines and newspapers to keep up to date on the media. He knew it was not what was said but what was not said that was important. It made good information difficult to find.

He knew he would not be able to get close to his family any time soon. The city of Hanamura, the seat of their empire, was too heavily guarded. Even with his superior reflexes, he would be outnumbered. Nor could he take out their contacts who were useful enough to have guards of their own. No, if we wanted to start his quest for revenge, he would need to move to someone lower on the chain.

Genji smirked to himself, thinking it was a bit like those video games he used to play. The main character started at a low level to train himself until he was strong enough to face the boss. Now Genji was given the chance to apply that in real life. Who said playing video games had no value?

So Genji set himself out to find the suppliers of the Shimada Clan. Not the direct suppliers, they were too close to the family. No, he would go down to the thugs and thieves who pillaged and stole for them. Once they were gone and their buyers grew desperate, he would move up the chain. He would slowly but surely cut off the Shimadas' resources, and then he would come for them.

 

Angela learned quickly, which was her saving grace. She found if she stayed quiet and followed instructions, she could help with nearly any task. She watched and learned, repeating actions with a confident mask on her face that seemed to convince those around her.

She took the position of combat medic. As a first responder, she did not need to worry about complex procedures she never learned how to do. On the field, she could patch someone up quickly and efficiently before sending them back to the hospital tent to receive the care they needed. She quickly grew accustomed to the sight of gore and the sound of gunfire. None of it mattered when she had a patient who needed her help.

Some days she would forget and let herself believe she was Angela Ziegler, a doctor from Switzerland. Some days she would get so absorbed in performing medical procedures, she would forget she never went to med school. Some days she even gave orders to the other medics as if she ran their operations.

But at night, she was haunted in her dreams. In them she felt the suffering of the world without Mercy. Images of the Zieglers, soldiers, children, and other people she never knew danced in her mind and pulled at her heart. It grew harder to deny them even as she forgot the dreams when she awoke. She knew she had to keep moving.

She moved between units often, always following the faint pull east. Her paperwork kept getting “lost”, but eventually she had her own files which made it easier for her to come and go. She learned new languages, including Arabic and French, but they took time to learn, not like German or English. It frustrated her as a reminder that she was becoming more and more human.

She also learned more about the war as she went. She learned about a brand of robots, called Omnics, who turned against their human creators. She learned about war machines and rogue AI’s that attacked civilians and destroyed whole cities. She learned how they had been mostly tamed in the west, but were still pressing on multiple fronts in the east. She could not deny being curious about these metal beasts, and eventually, she was given a chance to learn more about them.

She had just joined a new unit on the front when one of their mechanics found himself shorthanded. That was not meant to be a joke about his height, for the man was, for lack of a better word, a dwarf. Torbjörn Lindholm was a grouch and had scared away his latest assistant (one in a long line of many). Angela overheard him complaining, and ever the helper, offered her assistance.

Torbjörn was reluctant at first, but when his attitude did not scare her away, he begrudgingly accepted her help. For the most part, she just handed him tools and held things in position for him as he worked. He grumbled to himself and talked to his machines, but when Angela asked him questions, he always answered. He seemed surprised by the way she listened, and eventually he delved into stories without any prodding on her part.

He told her about times before the war when he helped design Omnics. His intentions had always been good, and the fact that his designs had turned into violent killing machines filled him with guilt. He told her a few tricks about how to disable them quickly, about which models were prone to breaking down, and which models were the most dangerous.

As she spent more time as his assistant, he taught her a bit about engineering, having her help him repair armor and rewire engines. He was impressed with how quickly she learned and soon trusted her enough to carry out minor repairs on her own. Angela was happy to be useful, and surprised herself with how much she enjoyed engineering. She spent late nights talking to Torbjörn about ideas and designs to improve their defense.

Of course, she did not forget her duties as a medic. Whenever there was an attack, she was out there with the soldiers, flitting from person to person to administer first aid. A few times she even saw the Omnics up close, but now she knew how to identify them. She could call out to her superiors how best to avoid their attacks.

And then one day, the company captured one.

It was deposited at Torbjörn’s work station, and naturally he called upon Angela for help. She was more curious than frightened of the machine, which was powered down but still mostly intact.

“An Eliminator,” Torbörn said. “They want us to hack into it’s brain and see if it has any useful information. Got to get the thing running first.”

Angela followed his instructions, helping him repair the damage and disable most of the omnic’s functions before bringing it back online. When it rebooted, its red optical sensor glared at them, but it was paralyzed and unable to attack. Angela monitored its structural integrity to make sure it did not fix itself while Torbjörn preformed the hack.

They retrieved valuable information, including the locations of several Omnic platoons and scheduled attacks. However, when Torbjörn tried to dig further to find who was leading the attacks, the Omnic’s brain fried itself, wiping away all data.

Command was more than happy with the results, and with that advantage, they managed to push the front out of the Middle East by the end of the month. With that change came the disbandment of their company. Torbjörn decided to head back west to see to some business up north. Angela declined the offer to join him, deciding to continue her journey eastward.

“You go much further you’ll end up in China!” he joked. “Very well, it was a pleasure working with you, Dr. Ziegler. And if you go changing your mind, you know how to find me.”

“Thank you, Torbjörn. Perhaps we will meet again some day.” Angela smiled at him fondly. She was tempted to take up his offer, but there was still that feeling in her chest pulling her east. She knew she would be uncomfortable until she found the source.

  
  


It took months, but Genji was finally on the track of a smuggling ring he knew stole supplies for the Shimada Empire. They were nowhere near the Clan themselves, and they would likely not be missed by anyone but their buyer. That buyer would have to explain to his superiors while the latest shipment was missing, but would be a small blip on the radar, nothing that would bother the Shimadas themselves.

However, Genji knew that he would get their attention eventually. They would know he was coming, but only after he had cut off their supplies. He wanted them to be desperate when he finally came for the family who betrayed him.

And then he would the person who turned him into this monster and make them suffer a fate worse than death.

  
  


Angela was in China. She decided to pursue engineering after the Chinese Military refused to take her, and no medical field would accept her without the proper qualifications. She still had a hard time finding a place since she did not have an engineering degree or even speak the language.

Luckily she had the help of a scientist named Mei-Ling Zhou. Mei was studying climate change, and though Angela had no interest in the subject, she applied for the position as an engineering assistant in the hopes to find _something_ she could do. Unfortunately for Mei, there were very few applicants for the position, so she agreed to take Angela on a trial basis.

Mei was patient and kind. She taught Angela some rudimentary Mandarin Chinese in between explaining different processes of her work. She was thrilled with Angela’s quick learning skills and amiable nature. They quickly became friends.

Angela mostly monitored readouts while Mei tinkered in her lab, but occasionally she could offer input about tricky wiring or equipment fortifications or act as a sounding board for Mei’s ideas. Even though most of the scientist’s words were lost on her, Angela was happy to help.

Eventually, Mei had a major breakthrough in her research. The two held a tiny celebration in the lab, drinking tea to toast her success. It was there Mei dropped the news.

“I am going to Antarctica,” she said. “I was offered a spot on a research team today.”

“Oh, Mei! I am so happy for you,” Angela replied, and she meant it. Mei was always talking about going to Antarctica to run her tests.

“I only wish I could take you with me,” Mei said with a small pout.

Angela laughed softly. “Oh, no! It sounds too cold for me. I am sure you would get tired of my complaining.”

Mei laughed with her, but then her face turned into a soft frown. “Where will you go?” she asked.

Angela paused to think about it for a moment. “Further east,” she decided.

“Really? What is out there?”

“I’ll know when I find it,” she replied.

Mei looked concerned. “Please be careful. There is heavy Omnic activity near Korea.”

“I know. I will be careful, but only because you asked.” Angela winked.

Mei laughed. “I am going to miss you, Dr. Ziegler.”

“I am going to miss you too, Mei.” And she meant it.

 

For Genji, there was no satisfaction greater than the feel of his sword slicing through flesh. It had taken a some extra time to find a group of smugglers. They were only a small part of the ring, but he did not feel like waiting any longer. It was likely the bastards had no idea why he was cutting them down one by one, but they were lowly, cowardly thieves who dealt in illegal arms. He felt no remorse.

He imagined his sword slicing through different throats. He pictured each member of his family falling beneath his blade, especially the one who betrayed him the most. He would murder him last, let him know he was coming, and reveal his face before delivering the finishing blow.

And then he would hunt down whoever turned him into this...thing. He pictured in his mind’s eye an engineer of some kind. Probably someone connected to the Shimada Clan since they owned the best engineers in Japan. Whoever it was, if they thought they could use him like a machine, they had another thing coming. As Genji faced his last opponent, he imagined it was this mystery person. With lightning speed, he drove his blade through the man’s heart. The smuggler gasped and choked before collapsing dead on the ground.

He sneered beneath his mask at the dead men, five in total. The barely put up a fight. He tore a piece of cloth off of one of their clothing and began to wipe down his sword. One he sheathed it, he wandered over to one of the crates they were guarding. A quick kick knocked the thing over, spilling its contents onto the ground. As expected, a plethora of guns fell out. There was nothing graceful about guns. They were a coward's weapon. The Shimadas armed their militia with them because guns required minimal training to use and were easy to come by. A true Shimada was trained in finer forms of combat.

The second crate was the same as the first but with different, larger firearms. The third crate, however, gave Genji pause. Nestled inside was a selection of traditional Japanese weapons. Traditional was a loose definition. On closer examination, Genji noticed they were modified to fit more modern standards.

He picked up a sword, a wakizashi, smaller than his katana. The blade was sharp and tampered to be stronger than steel. He ran his thumb along it, watching sparks fly. It was good sword, he decided, and would make for an excellent secondary weapon.

He tucked the wakizashi at his side and continued to dig through the crate. There were some katanas, a few more wakizashi, and various ranged weapons. Genji picked up a shuriken and examined it. He had always been good with throwing stars. A quick flick of his wrist embedded the shuriken into a nearby post. Two more in quick succession soon followed, lining up the three in a neat row.

In the end, he took with him the wakizashi and a collection of shurikens. They could prove to be very useful in the future. Before he left, he rifled through the clothes of the gang’s leader, pulling out a data pad. He flicked through the recent messages, discovering the next contact point where they were supposed to meet another gang. Business done, he left behind five dead men and three crates worth of illegal weapons.

 

Despite what she told Mei, Angela headed almost directly to Korea. She hoped in the heat of the conflict she could find a position as a medic or maybe as an assistant engineer. It could be interesting to learn about the Mech suits or different types of Omnics.

Once again, she was turned down by her lack of qualifications. However, after some deliberation and persistence on her part, Angela landed the position of Assistant Technician. She later discovered that was just a fancy way of saying “errand girl”.It was mostly menial work, fetching tools and instruments, cleaning workspaces, etc. Unfortunately, the Korean military did not trust foreigners, wishing to keep the plans for their technology a secret. It was highly unlikely she would advance from her position or learn anything too interesting. That did not stop her from putting her all into everything she did.

She was locking up a storage unit one night, a normal part of her routine, though perhaps a bit later than usual. Most of the personnel had gone home for the night, leaving behind a few guards and odd members of the staff like her. Everything changed when she heard a yell and several gunshots down the hall. The sudden noise made her jump and drop her keypad.

Pulse racing, she looked around for any sign of the guards, but she was alone. She could hear footsteps and voices moving towards her down the hall. She could not be sure, but it did not sound like they were speaking Korean.

Someone yelled, a bullet whizzed past her head, and she ran. The attackers gave chase, shooting at her as she fled. She whirled around a corner, desperately looking for help, when she saw an alarm. Barely thinking, she smashed her elbow into the glass and pulled the lever. A loud siren filled the air.

She turned around and saw that her attackers had caught up to her. There were three of them, and they cornered her so she had no escape. One of them raised his gun and brought the butt down on her head. Everything went black.

 

Genji was waiting impatiently at the contact point. The damn smugglers were late. They were supposed to be there an hour ago. His hand twitched over the handle of his smaller blade. He was itching to sink it into something.

He heard voices and ducked lower in his hiding position. A small group of seven walked down the trail with a few crates hovering between them. That was not surprising. What was surprising was the eighth person being dragged along with them. She was bound and gagged and clearly a foreigner. Her pale skin and hair were not like anything found in the region.

The group stopped in the small clearing and shoved the woman roughly to the ground. She curled in on herself as they talked amongst themselves. Genji shifted his attention from her to the smugglers, listening in on their conversation.

“I thought we were running late? Where is everyone else?”

“I guess they’re running late as well.”

“Yeah, but what if they got here early and left without us?”

“Don’t be stupid. The boss would have contacted us to meet him at a new point if that happened.”

“They’re probably just held up. It means we have time to relax until they get here.”

Five of the seven sat down, three on crates, two on the ground. The other two stayed standing to keep watch.

“Are you sure it was a good idea to keep her?” One of the men pointed his boot at the woman. She flinched, making the men laugh.

“Of course. These people like their whores, and an exotic one will fetch a high price.” This man appeared to be the leader of the group. He leaned forward to leer at the poor captive. “Perhaps we should sample the wares, just to make sure we are providing quality goods.”

The group of smugglers laughed and jeered like animals as their leader reached towards the blonde woman. She kicked and thrashed, but he managed to grab her arms and drag her against him. He laughed at her attempts to escape his grasp.

Her movements caused the gag to come loose, and as it slid down her face she screamed.

 

Angela panicked. She may not be able to understand his words, but she knew from the body language what this man wanted from her. He laughed at her screams and tried to pull her closer.

The man’s laughter died suddenly. His wide eyes stared blankly at nothing. Angela scurried backwards as he tottered and fell over. A pointed metal disk was sticking out of the back of his head.

The rest of the bandits drew their weapons, but two more disks flew through the air. Each one landed in the throat of a bandit, knocking them down instantly. The four remaining men fired their weapons, but it was obvious they did not know which direction to aim.

A green streak of light slashed the throat of another bandit. As he fell, the light paused, taking the form of a man clothed entirely in metal. Immediately the other bandits began to shoot at him.

A stray bullet whizzed passed Angela’s head. She yelped and tried to duck, but suddenly the stranger was in front of her, deflecting bullets away. The bullets bounced off of his sword and back at one of the gunmen, killing him.

Angela’s heart raced as she watched the stranger attack the remaining three. He moved quickly, not a single scratch landing on his armor. Before she knew it, all of the bandits were dead.

The stranger sheathed his sword and turned towards her. A mask blocked his features, but the green light of his visor glowed brightly. She stared at him, feeling something big tugging at the edge of her consciousness. _Shock_ , she thought. Then her eyes rolled back, and she fainted.

 

Genji rushed forward to catch her automatically. He froze with her in his arms, wondering what he should do. He could not just leave her there surrounded by dead bodies and stolen goods. The poor woman seemed defenseless, lost, and of course, terrified.

He could not just take her into the city either. What if he was seen? And he could not in good conscious abandon her on the side of the road. It was likely she did not even speak Japanese. How was she supposed to ask for help?

He looked down at her unconscious face. She really did look defenseless, especially with her wrists tied together. Genji unsheathed his wakizashi and sliced her binds free. It was a bit better, but still not good enough.

He sighed and sheathed the wakizashi so he could hoist her better in his arms. It seemed he would have to find a place to keep her until she woke up. Maybe then he could help her, if she would accept it.

He glanced down at her one more time. With her nestled more comfortably, she looked at peace. He only hoped she would not wake up soon, or that peace would not last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! They finally meet! Kinda, anyway.  
> There will be a lot more of them together in the next chapters.
> 
> And since you guys liked my last preview, here's another one:
> 
> (-_-) zzz (⊙_⊙)
> 
> (◎_◎;)
> 
> ( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ
> 
> (//･_･//)
> 
> ╮(─▽─)╭
> 
> (҂⌣̀_⌣́)
> 
> (￣^￣)
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°


	5. Strangers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was not going to post this chapter until tomorrow, but then I decided what the hell! I will probably go revise it some more tomorrow, especially since I am posting from mobile.
> 
> Sorry for the wait, but this is the REAL chapter everyone has been wanting to see. It is also more light hearted than the previous chapters. Expect more like this one in the future.
> 
> Thanks to everyone who commented and left kudos! I love you guys!

_Blood… so much blood. And pain. Someone is screaming. A noise… it does not belong… it is everywhere, drowning out the screams. Pressure is mounting. There is more blood. So much blood…._

_Then white…_

  
  
  


Angela opened her eyes. Once again, she awoke disoriented in an unfamiliar place. It had become an alarmingly familiar sensation. She sighed and slowly sat up to examine her surroundings. 

She was sitting on a mattress on the floor. The room was small, with shabby walls and worn floor mats. The only source of light came from a small window to her right. Judging by the slanting of the sun rays, she would guess it was either late morning or early evening. 

On the floor in front of her was a bottle of water and some food. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her she had not eaten since… when had she last eaten? She opened the water as she thought about it. It was nighttime when she was kidnapped in Korea, and morning she awoke in Japan. It was afternoon by the time the stranger rescued her. At least, she hoped he rescued her. For all she knew, he was holding her captive for his own reasons. Either way, it was either evening the same day or the morning after, and she had not eaten since a few hours before she was kidnapped. 

Angela decided it really did not matter what day it was. Her mind was hungry and her buzzing with other questions, but she chose to ignore them for now. Eating was the more pressing concern. She hastily unwrapped the prepackaged food and shoved it in her mouth. She barely tasted the first few bites, washing them down with water before shoveling more into her mouth. After a few moments, she regained a bit of her self-control and slowed down. 

Her meal comprised mostly of snack foods. She could not read the labels, but she could taste the salt and sugar. There were also some unfamiliar fruits, which she enjoyed a bit more than the dry snacks. The water vanished quickly, leaving her a bit thirsty, but overall her stomach was happy to have some nourishment. Satisfied, she was able to ponder some of the questions buzzing in her brain. 

Where was she? That one was difficult to answer. She thought back through the last things she remembered. She was closing the lab in Korea. Men with guns attacked and kidnapped her. She woke up bound and gagged on a boat. One of the men pointed a gun at her head and told her in broken english to be quiet. They docked in a small port in what she assumed was Japan. Then the men loaded her into a car filled with boxes and drove out of town. Eventually they pulled over in what seemed to be the middle of nowhere and dragged her with them into the forest. 

Angela remembered thinking they were going to kill her. She remembered how her heart raced as they lead her deeper into the forest. She did her best to appear small and harmless until one of them grabbed her. Everything happened very quickly after that. The man who held her was dead even before she stopped squirming. The rest followed shortly after. 

She placed a hand on her chest as she remembered her heart racing. The blood, the gunshots, and the stranger covered in metal… each moment had made her chest constrict more. She saw her savior clearly for a brief moment before the tightness in her chest became overwhelming. She remembered realizing she was in shock and then... nothing else. 

Angela realized she must have fainted. That was a bit embarrassing, but considering the circumstances, she supposed she was allowed to have such a reaction. The question came back though, where was she now?

The stranger who rescued her must have brought her here, wherever _here_ was. She looked around the room again, but there was no sign of him. There was no sign of _anyone_. Outside all she could here was the wind and the rustling of leaves. She must still be in the forest. 

Who was that stranger and what did he want with her? Those questions seemed more important. He was obviously a skilled warrior. He killed those bandits with a sword! Who used swords these days? And in a gunfight? Who used swords in a gunfight and _won_? 

Angela was impressed to say the least, but she was still worried about what this stranger wanted from her. In English there was a saying: out of the frying pan and into the fire. Had she escaped one ordeal only to be put in another? It was obvious there was nothing she could do against this man if he decided to do something to her. His speed and agility and no doubt his strength were leagues above hers. 

She sighed, bashing herself for being so cynical. The man rescued her from what was sure to be an awful fate. And he was kind enough to give her food and bedding. She should be grateful. She supposed she should find and thank him before doing anything else. 

And that was another question: what should she do now? She still had no idea where she was (although she assumed it was somewhere in Japan). Was she supposed to go back to Korea? She had no money, how was she supposed to get there? Should she find the police? Would any of them speak a language she knew? Would anyone be sympathetic to her situation? 

She took a deep calming breath before she could work herself into a panic. Perhaps going outside would give her some answers. She stood up and walked towards the door, noticing her shoes beside it. A quick glance down showed the rest of her clothes in place. At least that stranger was a gentleman. She really should find him and thank him. 

  
  


Genji heard the woman moving around and let out a small breath of relief. She had been unconscious for a little over two hours. Any longer and he was considering taking her to a hospital. 

He heard the door slide open and quickly ducked for cover behind a thicket. It seemed childish to hide, but he did not wish to frighten her with his appearance. He knew he would face her eventually, but he should give her a warning first. That was his justification, anyway.

“Hello?” she called out in english. 

He risked a peek. She was standing in the doorway of the small hovel, eyes searching the forest. He ducked back into cover before she could catch a glimpse of him. 

“Are you there?” she called. “I wanted to thank you for rescuing me and for the food.” He heard her sigh and mutter under her breath “You probably can’t understand me even if you _are_ there.” 

Genji risked another look. Her head was down and her shoulders slumped. She looked so dejected, he decided to take pity on her. 

“I understand,” he responded in english, keeping himself hidden but still watching. 

Her head snapped up and she immediately brightened. “Oh! I’m glad! I was worried I was talking to myself!” 

Her laugh made him smile. Genji did not realize that he had relaxed until her next words made him tense. 

“Where are you? I can’t see you.” 

 

He held his breath as he thought of his next words. The silence made the woman’s face crease with worry. 

“I didn’t mean to be rude,” she called out anxiously. “I just wanted to thank you.” A short pause. “Are you still there?” 

“I am still here,” Genji replied. “My apologies. I will come out now. Please, do not be frightened. I will not hurt you.” 

Before she could reply, he stepped out into view. Her eyes widened when she saw him, but she did not cower or scream. Instead she smiled and stepped down from the doorway. She only stopped moving towards him when he took a step back. 

“Thank you,” she said again. “I do not know what would have happened to me had you not arrived. I don’t even want to think about it.” Her smile softened with gratitude. “I believe I owe you my life.” 

“You are not afraid of me?” Genji blurted. 

Her brows quirked together in confusion. “Should I be?” 

“I…” _I am a monster._ “I killed seven men in front of you.” 

“Oh.” Her brow furrowed more. “But you did not hurt me. And I assume you are the one who gave me food and shelter, ja?” 

Genji nodded, unable to find words at the moment. 

“And they were bad men,” she continued. “While normally I do not believe anyone deserves to die, I prefer the death of those men to the alternative.” 

He was thoroughly confused by her response. Perhaps she was still in shock?  Maybe being unconscious for so long damaged her brain. How else could he explain her behavior? She was treating him like a normal person. 

“Are you not frightened by my appearance?” he asked. 

“While I’ll admit your swords are a bit intimidating, you said you will not hurt me, and I believe you.” The woman smiled as if this justification was completely rational. 

“You do not care that I look like this?” Genji gestured to himself. He was becoming increasingly more incredulous. 

The woman cocked her head to the side. “I suppose you do look a bit strange. Wait… are you a...” She gasped, realization dawning in her eyes. 

Genji tensed. Finally this woman had come to her senses. He prepared to explain. 

“Are you a ninja?” 

Genji stared at her in dumb shock. “No! I mean yes, I am a ninja, but-" 

“I knew it!” She smiled and babbled with excitement. “I thought ninjas were supposed to be outdated and obsolete, just figures in old movies and anime. I always thought their skills were exaggerated, but you proved me wrong! You were magnificent! How long did it take you to learn how to fight like that?”

Behind his mask, Genji’s mouth was opening and closing as he tried to find his words. “It does not bother you that I look like an omnic?” he finally interjected. 

She stopped speaking and looked at him with confusion. 

“Do you not have omnics where you come from?” he asked. She was a foreigner. Perhaps she had never faced one. That was the only explanation for her reaction. 

“No, I have seen plenty of omnics,” she replied. “I was on the front of the Middle Eastern crisis not too long ago.” 

There went that theory. But her answer confused him even more. “You do not seem like a soldier,” he said. 

“I’m not. I am a doctor.” 

That made a bit of sense, but there was still so much wrong with what she said. “If you came from the Middle East, how did you get out here?” 

“Actually, I-” she paused and made a face. “As much as I would love to continue this conversation, it is a bit of a long story, and I need to… ah… relieve myself. Is there anywhere I can…?” 

“Ah, yes.” Genji shifted. “Just over here. Follow me.” 

He led her to an outdoor toilet a short distance away from the hovel, and after she thanked him quickly, she rushed inside. He strolled a short distance away to give her some privacy. This was one part of being human he did not miss, as small a joy as that may be. 

There was a hand pump to the side for her to wash her hands, and after she finished, she approached him with a small embarrassed smile. 

“Sorry, about that,” she said. 

Genji shrugged. “You are only human.” 

She laughed at his joke, putting both of them at ease. 

“I am Angela, by the way. Angela Ziegler.” 

“Genji,” he offered, with a small bow. 

“Genji,” she repeated with a smile. “Thank you, Genji, for everything you have done for me.” 

He shrugged. “It was nothing.” 

She shook her head, obviously not believing his lie, but she chose not to comment. “Now I believe you asked how I got here…” 

  
  


“And then you showed up,” Angela said, finishing her tale. “I don’t know what those men planned to do with me, but I am glad you arrived before I could find out.” 

They had migrated to sit on the step of the small building while she talked. Genji was silent while she told her story, listening intently to the whole thing. He stared off into the woods after she finished. 

“Those men wanted to sell you,” he said, his hands tightening into fists. “They supply things to an underground empire, including…” He paused and muttered in Japanese under his breath. “Apologies, my english is not so good, I forgot this word.”

“It is alright,” Angela replied. “English is not my first language either.” 

“What is your first language?” he asked. 

“German.” 

“You are from Germany?” 

“Switzerland.” 

“Ah, _Suisu._ I hear that place is nice.” 

Angela shrugged, not recalling anything in particular about the country. “I spent most of my time traveling. I feel like I have spent more of my life in Asia than in Europe.” 

“You did not tell me how you came to the east,” Genji said. 

“And you did not tell me how you came to rescue me,” she countered. All this time talking about herself and she had learned nothing about him. Now it was his turn. 

Genji shifted, looking away from her again. “I did not come there to rescue you," he said. 

“I didn't think so, but I am grateful all the same,” Angela said reassuringly. 

“I was there for those men,” he continued. “I was tracking them. They are criminals. I did not expect to see you there.” 

“And yet you saved me.” 

Genji shrugged. “I did what was right.” 

“Not many people have the courage to do that,” Angela replied softly. “You could have left me there.” 

“Whore!” Genji said suddenly. 

“Excuse me?” 

“That is the word I forgot. No… it is prostitute. They wanted to sell you as a prostitute.” 

“I didn’t think of that.” Angela shivered as she realized how close she came to that fate. “Thank you for saving me.” 

“You have thanked me many times already.” 

“I can not thank you enough! I thought war was the most horrible thing to happen on this world, but I was wrong.” 

“There are many dark sides to society,” Genji murmured. “I am proof of that.” 

Angela was tempted to ask him what he meant by that, but he seemed to be in a somber mood. Instead she studied him, watching the light reflect off his metal surfaces. Something about him was nagging her. 

He turned and met her gaze, or at least she assumed so, it was hard to tell with his visor. She squinted against the green light. 

“You are staring,” he said. “Am I that hideous?” 

Angela ignored his comment and the half-joking tone behind it. “Have we met before?” she asked suddenly. 

“No, I don't think so. I would remember meeting such a beautiful woman,” he replied smoothly. 

Angela blushed but then brushed off his flirtatious words. The nagging feeling was still there. “You seem familiar,” she insisted. 

“I am sure I have not met anyone from Switzerland,” Genji said. 

“Nor have I met anyone from Japan, but I can’t shake this feeling that I _know_ you.” Angela shook her head. “It must be your personality. You remind me of someone, but I can’t think of who.” 

Genji was silent. It was hard to tell without being able to see his expression, but he seemed to be considering something. The last rays of sunlight reflected off his helm as he suddenly looked up. 

“It is late. I should take you to town.” 

“What’s in town?” Angela asked as she stood up with him. 

“Your way home,” Genji replied as he stood. 

_Home?_ She paused. Did she have a home? 

“You frown. What is wrong?” Genji asked. 

“I…” Angela could not think of what to say. She sighed and looked at the ground. “I don’t know where to go.” 

“Someone will help you. Many people in large towns speak English,” he replied reassuringly. “Come this way. Follow me.” 

“Genji, wait.” 

He paused and tilted his head at her, waiting for her to speak. Angela fidgeted with her fingers. What was she supposed to say? Did she want to return to Korea? Or should she go back to Switzerland? Neither of those felt like home. None of the places she visited ever felt like home. For all her wandering, she never found a place where she wanted to remain. And now, after being kidnapped and forced somewhere against her will, she suddenly felt compelled to stay. 

“Can I stay here?” she asked, nervously biting her lip. 

“Here?” Genji sounded incredulous. 

Angela nodded. “Yes, with you.” 

“That would not be wise.” Genji shook his head. “You belong with your own people.” 

“But I can help you!” Angela said. “I am a doctor! And I’m a mechanic! I can help you if you get hurt! Please, Genji, I owe you my life!” 

“You owe me nothing,” he said, sounding uncomfortable. “And you would not be safe with me.” 

“But _you_ would be safer with _me_ ” she countered. 

Genji shook his head again. “You are misguided. There are things here you do not understand. You think I am good, but I am not. The things I do are not to help others but to help myself. I have killed many people. Saving your life does not change that.” 

“I do not care what you think of yourself,” Angela said, determination washing away the desperation in her tone. “You are good in my eyes, and I want to help you any way I can. At least give me a chance to repay my debt.” 

“I am not a hero. You will only be disappointed if you stay.” Genji sighed. “But if you feel that you must, I will not stop you.” 

“Thank you!” Angela beamed, resisting the urge to hug him. He seemed to be holding himself at a distance, and she wanted to respect that. 

“I do not stay in one place for long,” he warned her. 

“That is fine. I am used to frequent travel,” she replied. 

“You can stay here tonight.” He gestured to the building. “I will bring you more food in the morning.” 

“The morning? Where will you be?” 

“I have… business tonight.” 

“I see.” Angela looked around, taking in her temporary home. “What is this place anyway?" 

“A hermit’s cottage,” Genji explained. “Even before the crisis, there were people who feared Omnics and tried to isolate themselves away from technology. Everyone thought they were insane. And then the attacks happened.” He chuckled. “Sometimes wisdom is disguised as foolishness, and sometimes paranoid fools are just lucky.” 

“Won’t the owner be upset we are using their cottage?” Angela asked. 

“Whoever built this place has not lived here in years,” he replied. “I sure they will not mind us borrowing it.” 

“If you say so.” She yawned. “How am I so tired? I just woke up.” 

“You had an exciting day. You should rest,” Genji said. “I should leave soon anyway.” 

Angela smiled at him. “Promise to be here when I wake up?” 

“I will not abandon you,” he vowed. 

“Very well, I shall see you in the morning.” She yawned again as she climbed the step to the cottage door. “Goodnight, Genji.” 

“Sleep well, Dr. Ziegler.” 

"Angela," she corrected him. “And thank you.” _For everything._

She smiled at him one last time and waved goodbye before sliding the door to the cottage closed. There was a nagging feeling in her gut that she was forgetting something, but she brushed it off. She was too tired to think. Genji was right, she had an exciting day. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, right? Seems like someone has angelic amnesia...
> 
> My headcanon is that Genji skipped out on his English lessons, so he is a bit rusty. Not too bad though, but perhaps a bit too formal.
> 
> A note on how long Angela was unconcious: she fainted from exhaustion, hunger, stress, and that internal angel thing she seems to have forgotten about. Genji definitely should have taken her to hospital, but he is clueless and also terrified of human interaction. Our story would have gone differently if he had ;).
> 
> Seriously though, if someone is unconcious for more than a few minutes, get help.
> 
> Chp 6 ETA*: Dec 14  
> Here is a sneak peak:
> 
> ┏(｀ー´)┛
> 
> (〜￣△￣)〜
> 
> (◎_◎;)
> 
> ヾ(ﾟ∀ﾟゞ)
> 
> ಠ_ಠ
> 
> ヘ(￣ω￣ヘ)
> 
>  
> 
> Do with that what you will.
> 
>  
> 
> *rough estimate, I will update it as I go


	6. Adjustments

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good news: I'm not dead!
> 
> I want to apologize for this chapter being so late. Life hit me like a truck doing 90 crashing into a wall filled with dynamite (I'll spare you the details).  
> I want to thank all of the people who left comments for inspiring me to finish this chapter. You guys are da best! :D  
> Honestly I am surprised whenever I get comments or kudos on this work (people still read this?) Thank you everyone, it really means a lot.

Genji was conflicted. Logically he knew Angela would only slow him down. He also knew she would be much safer without him. But he could not deny that he enjoyed her company. She treated him like a real person. It had been months since he had last held a conversation with anyone, and he had not realized how starved he was for even the simplest human interaction.

In his past life, he liked to surround himself with companions. Sure, they only valued his company for his money and position, but he liked to pretend he had friends. He could lose himself in the flattery and laughter, pretend he was just an ordinary guy. It all seemed so trivial in the wake of his revenge, but Angela resurrected that part of him that craved attention and companionship. As selfish as it was, he wanted to keep her near.

It would not be forever, he decided. Eventually she would consider her debt repaid, or she would come to her senses and realize what he was. He was not a hero; saving her did not change that. He was a monster, and once she understood, she would leave. Unless, of course, she was truly insane (still a definite possibility) in which case it would probably be better if he left her before she became too much of a hindrance.

It would already be difficult to keep her even assuming she was of sound mind. She could not travel as far or as fast as him, and she would need frequent prolonged rests each day. There was also the matter of food, water, shelter, toiletries… all of the human necessities he no longer required. It would mean more trips into human civilization, increasing the risk of him being seen. There was also the chance that his quest for vengeance would put her in the line of fire, meaning he would have to take extra precautions in order to keep her safe. It would be a lot of work just so he would not feel lonely.

It reminded him of the dog he kept as a boy. He had found it as a stray and hid it in the palace garden. He would sneak away from his lessons to feed the dog scraps and play with it until he could hear someone coming. Then he would usher the dog back into hiding until he could sneak away to visit it again.

Then one day his brother, Hanzo, followed him and discovered his secret. Hanzo told their father, and Genji was severely punished. He never saw the dog again.

Genji shook himself from his thoughts. Angela was not a dog. She was a person and could make decisions for herself. Not to mention she was much more attractive than a stray dog. She was not his usual type, but there was no denying the loveliness of her face and pleasurable curves of her body.

He quickly chastised himself for the direction of his thoughts. True he had once been a playboy, but that was when he was handsome and whole. The thought that anyone would find him attractive now was laughable. Angela may not have been immediately repulsed by him, but then she had not seen his face. He shuddered to think how she would react if she did.

His thoughts turned back to his mission as he neared the city. What he told Angela was true, he had business in town. He had traced the smuggling ring through a black market dealer, and now it was time to see how the buyer reacted to his missing goods.

Genji’s original plan was to drop Angela on the outskirts of town, giving her directions to the nearest police station and leave her with a warning not to mention him or the location of the dead smugglers. Now that he did not have to tow her with him, he had arrived considerably early. The sun had just set, and the lights of the city were coming alive. It would be easy to find a hiding place where the green lights on his body would not draw attention.

He slipped through the outskirts into the downtown area. One might expect the black market to be set up in the shadier side of town, but then one would be wrong. Black market dealers were always hidden in plain sight. This particular dealer was a restaurant owner who worked out of the shopping district. In all appearances, it was a decent establishment, but if you watched the back alley carefully, you might occasionally see some questionable activity. To Genji’s trained eye, it was a sloppy set-up.

He moved into position, hiding behind a billboard to wait for the dealer to show. He waited. And waited. Minutes ticked by, then hours. In hindsight, perhaps he should not have left so early. He could have spent more time talking to Angela. The way she talked was so pleasant, even if he had trouble understanding her at times. And her smile, it was the most genuine smile he had ever seen. It made him smile beneath his mask just thinking about it.

His thoughts drifted to what she told him about herself. She was so intelligent and kind, learning to be an engineer on top of being a doctor and dedicating herself to helping others. And she had seen such horrible things, yet she could still smile and speak warmly of her adventures. He did not deserve her company, even in his past life. 

The thought weighed heavily on his heart. He had never been a good person. Everything he did was for himself. Even now he was being selfish just by keeping her with him. He should have insisted she go.

The back door of the restaurant opened, shaking him from his thoughts. A man looked out and then called back inside.

“The truck is not here!”

Genji listened, utilizing his helmet’s enhanced his hearing. He could hear a voice coming from inside the restaurant mixed with the sounds of a busy kitchen.

“They are late. Tell me when the truck arrives,” said the voice.

“Yes, sir!”

The man stepped out of the building and fumbled with his pockets. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lit one before leaning against the wall to he began his wait.

Genji stayed where he was. He knew full well the truck would not come. He wondered how long it would take for this man to realize it.

The minutes ticked by. The man finished his cigarette and still no truck. Genji watched him check the time and fidget as he grew board of waiting. Still no truck. The man checked the time again. He seemed a little nervous now.

An hour must have gone by before the door opened again. Genji recognized the owner as he looked outside. The man scowled and stepped into the alley.

“Where are they?” he growled.

“I don’t know,” the first man said. “Want me to call them?”

“Do it.”

Genji watched as the guy pulled out his phone and dialed the number. He watched as the phone rang, but of course there was no answer. The man released a frustrated grunt and shook his head.

“They’re not picking up.”

The owner and black marker dealer scowled again. “Fools. I wonder what trouble they got into this time.”

“Didn't you send a group to steal some mech plans?” the first guy asked.

“I received word they completed that mission. I was told they found something 'extra’ as well.”

“Wonder what it could be.”

Genji’s fists tightened as he realized they were talking about Angela. He wished he had not killed those bastards so quickly. He could not kill these two fools, not yet. They were lucky they had not gotten their hands on her or they  _ would _ be suffering from his blade.

More time passed. They first guy scratched his face. The dealer was obviously growing more and more impatient.

“You don't think they sold out, do you?” asked the first guy.

The dealer huffed. “Those fools would not dare to double cross me. I have some  _ friends _ in high places would make them regret such an action.”

“Still… Korean technology can fetch a high price...”

“There is more than their lives at stake if they do.”

The first guy shrugged. “I guess they are just late then.”

The door opened and another head popped out to ask the owner a question. He shot back an answer and turned to the first guy.

“I am going back inside. You wait here and tell me as soon as they arrive.”

“Sure thing, boss.”

The owner went back into his restaurant, grumbling something about finding “decent help” and “damn fools”. Genji watched the first guy as he folded his arms and resigned himself to waiting.

The owner came to check a few times, but the truck never came. The hours passed by, and eventually the restaurant closed. Someone came out to put the garbage in the dumpster and waved goodnight to the first guy who seemed both bored and anxious. Finally, the boss came back out.

“They are not coming,” he decided. “Go home. We will deal with this in the morning.”

“Hopefully they just got caught up,” the first guy suggested. From their expressions, neither man believed it.

Genji waited until both men went home. So far it seemed they did not suspect the suppliers were dead. It was likely the owner would soon launch an investigation to see if his illegal goods had been sold elsewhere. It was also likely he would start looking for new smugglers to deliver his supplies. Genji would need to take care of him before that happened.

An idea popped into his head. It would take care of this problem without drawing too much suspicion. Genji did not want his presence to be known just yet. He still had much to do before he faced the Shimada.

He would deal with all of that later. For now he had other things to worry about. It was still several hours before sunrise. The shopping district was mostly closed; only the late night clubs full of drunken idiots were still open. It was the perfect time to gather supplies.

Angela would need food and water among other things. He made a mental list of all the things he would get. Proper bedding, some clothes, a backpack to make it easier to travel…. He was suddenly very eager to get back to the little cottage. He promised he would be there in the morning, didn’t he? He could surprise her with everything when she awoke.

Maybe it was selfish to keep her with him, but she was the one who said she didn't want to go. And who was he to deny her that?

Genji grinned to himself as he hopped along the rooftops.

  
  


_ Help us! Help us! I don’t want to die! It hurts! It hurts! Take the pain away! Why won’t help us! Please, we are begging you! Mercy! _

 

Angela awoke from a familiar nightmare. She always forgot the details, but the feeling lingered. In her dreams she saw suffering, but she was always helpless to do anything. She knew there was  _ something _ she should be able to do, but it was impossible. The dreams always left her with this feeling of a vacant hole, like something was missing. Her heart ached with sadness for the unknown loss.

The dream and its lingering emotions were already fading from her mind as she sat upright. This time she recognized the inside of the cottage, though it took her half a moment to remember why she was there. It did not seem real, the kidnapping, the rescue, Genji…. She would not have believed it were it not for her current location and the neat pile of food beside her bedroll. She touched the wrappers in awe. Genji was here.

She wondered where he was now as she ate her breakfast. There were more things in the little room, more evidence that he had been there. A large backpack sat in the corner, filled with what looked like camping gear. Next to it was a pile of clothes and a hairbrush. Angela eagerly untied her hair and began to work out the two days worth of snarls. Once she finished, she changed out of her dirty clothes and decided to look for Genji.

It was a beautiful morning, a little crisp but forbearing what was sure to be a wonderful day. The sun was shining, birds were singing, it seemed almost magical after working in warzones and laboratories. Angela paused to take in the wonder of nature.

A beam of sunlight filtering down from the trees glinted off a silver helm. Angela smiled and waved before she stepped down from the doorway.

“Good morning, Genji.”

“Good morning, Angela,” he greeted her. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yes, thank you.” She did not mention her dream. In truth she had already forgotten it. 

“Do the clothes fit well?” he asked, moving his head to examine her appearance. “I had to guess your size.”

“The clothes fit fine,” she said. They were a little loose, but it was better than being too tight. She was just happy to be out of the outfit she had worn for the past two days.

“I am glad,” he said. Angela detected relief in his voice.

She looked past him to the outdoor toilet, wishing that she could put her morning needs on hold so that they could continue this conversation, but it was beginning to feel urgent. Genji noticed the shift in her attention and gestured for her for to go.

“I will just be a moment,” she said, blushing in embarrassment.

“Take all the time you need.”

She heard an amused smile in his voice, but chose not to comment. If Genji was teasing her then she was not going to fall for his bait. This was a perfectly normal biological function, and dammit why was she so embarrassed?

She finished quickly and washed her hands, doing her best to pretend it wasn’t awkward. It wasn’t. Really. So what if she was living alone in the woods with a stranger? He could deal with her biological functions.

“Thank you for waiting,” she said, as she rejoined him. “So what is on the agenda for today?”

Genji fidgeted, giving off the impression of nervous excitement. “There is something I would like to show you,” he said.

“Oh? What is it?”

“A surprise.”

Angela raised her eyebrows, wondering what on Earth it could be. “May I see it?”

He nodded. “Follow me.” He abruptly turned around and began to walk down a path into the woods.

Angela was now very curious as she hurried after him. Genji walked quickly, stopping every few moments for her to catch up. She wondered if he always walked so fast or if he was just overly eager to reach their destination. She guessed it was a mixture of both.

“This way,” he said, leading her up a hill.

It was a rather steep climb, and a few times he had to offer her a hand up. She wished she could talk to him more, but the exertion was stealing her breath. Instead she smiled and thanked him whenever he offered assistance.

“We are almost there,” Genji said before she could ask. “Just a little further.”

About five minutes of climbing later, the hill leveled into a small plateau. Genji stopped where the trees parted to make way for a clearing. Angela soon joined him and paused to catch her breath.

“What is this?” she asked, looking around her in awe. The clearing was paved with smooth stones that led to an elegantly shaped pool of water. Small wooden structures decorated the scene, but otherwise the clearing was open to a wondrous view of mountains. If she were she not already struggling to breathe, she would have called it breathtaking.

“It is a hot spring,” Genji explained. “You can use it to take a bath.”

“Oh?” Angela said, quirking an eyebrow. “Do I really smell that bad?”

“No!” Genji held up his hands. “I did not mean…. You do not smell bad! I mean, I can not smell, but I am sure you smell fine!”

Angela laughed. “Relax, Genji, I am only teasing you. This was a wonderful surprise. Thank you.”

And she meant it. All of the travel and trauma and exertion had left her feeling grimy. The thought of washing away the past couple of days in a hot soothing bath sounded delightful.

Genji fidgeted, obviously still embarrassed from her teasing. He picked up a wooden bucket and handed it to her. “I brought you these. You can use them to help you wash.”

Angela looked down into the bucket, seeing a towel, washcloth, soap and even...was that  shampoo  _ and _ conditioner? She looked up at Genji in awe. “Thank you.”

“It is nothing,” he said. “I will go away now. To give you privacy. So you can wash.”

Angela giggled. He was cute when he was flustered. “Alright. Thank you, Genji.”

He nodded. “I will not be far. Call if you need me.”

“I will.”

He parted after a quick salute with his fingers, dashing back into the forest and out of sight. Angela watched him go, waiting until she could no longer see or hear him to turn towards the spring. The water looked inviting, still, but lightly steaming. She wondered how it would feel against her skin.

She stripped herself of her clothes, folding them carefully and setting them on a wooden bench. She felt exposed out in the open, especially in the full view of the mountains, so she quickly slipped into the water. The effect almost was immediate.

The hot water relaxed her muscles while the clean aroma of the steam cleared her head. Aches and pain she had not realized were there dissolved in the mineral rich water as she soaked. Sweat and dirt and grime slid off her body, leaving her skin a healthy pink. It was bliss.

She reached into the wooden bucket Genji gave her and took out the wash cloth and soap. As she lathered her body, she examined the marks and bruises that were reminders of her kidnapping. They were already fading; most of them would be gone by tomorrow. To some it was remarkable how quickly she healed, but she barely gave it a second thought. She had always been more focused on healing others than herself.

Speaking of healing others, Angela wondered how best to help Genji. He had been so considerate to her, and there was little she could do in return. Sure, if he got hurt she may be able to help, but with reflexes like his it was possible that would never happen. If that were the case, then she would only be a burden.

But she did not want to leave him. There was an inexplicable draw about him that made her want to stay. He fascinated her. With his advanced speed and reflexes, she wanted to study him and see more of what he could do. And more than that, she wanted to discover more about his personality. Despite his abilities, he acted so nervous around her. He said he was not a good guy, but he saved her life and showed her kindness. His voice was gentle when he spoke to her, and he was so considerate to her needs.

He seemed lonely, Angela realized. She wondered if it was solely because of his appearance. He said he looked like an Omnic, and she supposed in a way he did, but not any class of Omnic she had ever seen. His build was too powerful to be a slender civilian class Omnic and too elegant to be mounted with guns or sustain heavy fire. He looked human, albeit one covered in synthetic material.

She wondered what he looked like beneath the metal, but it seemed rude to ask. He was obviously nervous around her already; she did not want to pressure him into exposing himself even more. She would just have to be content admiring the strength and grace of his body. Synthetic or not, he was excellently put together.

She blushed at the direction of her thoughts, telling herself that it was just the doctor in her analyzing a potential patient. She quickly dipped her head beneath the water to clear her mind. It did the trick, washing away the errant thoughts and letting her focus on the peacefulness of getting clean.

She reached back into the wooden bucket, pulling out the shampoo so she could wash her hair. It had a pleasant floral scent… cherry blossoms perhaps? She sighed as she lathered it in her hair. Genji may not be able to smell her, but she much preferred this scent to her own sweat and grime. She dipped her head beneath the water again to rinse it clean.

She paused as she reached for the conditioner. When she lived on the road, such a thing was a luxury. More often than not, she simply tied back her hair and hoped it would not get too tangled. She was surprised Genji had even considered it. Most men did not seem to know much about haircare.

She spread some of the conditioner in her hair, almost immediately noticing a difference. The strands felt softer, smoother as they slid through her fingers. Her hair became silkier the more she worked the product through. She wondered vaguely if it was an expensive brand.

A sudden thought occurred to her. Where had he gotten these things? Presumably Genji got them in town, but she could not picture him walking through stores shopping among people. The clothes, too; Angela glanced at them on the bench. Where had he gotten the clothes? And the food? The shelter they were borrowing, but these items? Did Genji  _ steal _ them?

The thought made her stomach twist. She quickly rinsed her hair again and climbed out of the hot spring, no longer feeling relaxed. She wrapped herself in the towel and walked over to examine the clothes. They did not look particularly expensive, but they did not look cheap either. She picked up the shirt he had given her. There on the sleeve was evidence of a removed price tag.

There was still a chance he payed for these clothes, but she had doubts. Angela dried off and got dressed, feeling uneasy. She hoped she was wrong (in which case she would apologize for jumping to conclusions), but something told her Genji was not above stealing. Maybe it was the fact that he seemed to alienate himself from society, or maybe it was the fact that he killed seven men so easily without a second thought. Whatever the reason, she did not want to use stolen goods. She was determined to ask him about it.

“Genji!” she called after she was dressed. She waited anxiously, wondering if he heard her.

He appeared a moment later, almost materializing out of thin air. “Hello, Angela. Did you enjoy you enjoy your bath?”

Angela folded her arms. “Yes, I did.”

“Why the sour look?” he asked, tilting his head. “Did you think I was spying on you?”

“What? No, I that is not what I… wait, were you?”

“Of course not!” Genji’s tone was overly offended. “I kept my back to you the entire time, I swear.”

“I believe you,” Angela replied, unfolding her arms. “But that is not what is bothering me.”

“Then what is it?”

“Where did you get these things?” she asked, pointing to the bucket.

“In town.” His tone was decidedly vague.

“Did you buy them?”

“Not exactly…”

“Did you pay for them?”

He was silent.

“The clothes, the food, everything else, did you pay for them?” she pressed.

Genji folded his arms, taking a defensive stance. “What does it matter?”

“Did you steal them?” Angela asked, getting tired of him evading the answer.

“So what if I did?” His tone was hard, impassive.

“Genji, you can’t steal! It’s wrong!”

“It is not the worst thing I have done,” he reminded her.

Angela shook her head. “You took these things from innocent people, people with jobs and families who need the income.”

“I did not take anything that will be missed,” he replied dismissively.

“It doesn't matter! Stealing is wrong!”

“If it bothers you so much, then you don't have to stay,” he said in a scathing tone. “But I will not stop taking what I need. There is no other way.”

“There has to be another way!” Angela insisted. “If you can not buy them properly,can't you at least pay for them?”

“With what money?” Genji asked, opening his arms to express his lack of funds. “I assume you do not have any with you?”

She did not, but she refused to back down. “We can think of something. I refuse to eat stolen food and wear stole garments.”

“Fine, then give them back.”

She ignored him, a sudden idea popping into her brain. “What about… Yes, those men! They must have money with them.”

“What men?” Genji asked.

“The men you… the bandits from yesterday, the ones who kidnapped me. Wouldn’t they have money?”

“You want me to steal money from dead people?” he asked incredulously.

Angela shifted uncomfortably at his phrasing. “Yes, well, the money was likely ill-gotten anyway, and it would just go to waste unless someone else finds them, and there is no guarantee they would use the money wisely either.”

Genji cocked his was in contemplation. “I suppose you are right, but I still can not just go buy things. People do not react well to someone like me. Most people, anyway.”

That last comment was definitely directed at her, but Angela considered most people to be narrow-minded, so she took it as a compliment.

“I understand,” she said. “At the very least, you can leave behind compensation when you take things.”

He took a moment to consider her proposal before he sighed. “Very well. If it will make you happy, I will do my best to pay for what I take.”

“Thank you, Genji.” Angela felt an overwhelming rush of emotion. Before she could stop herself, she wrapped her arms around him in a hug.

Genji froze beneath her, his arms raised as if he were unsure what to do. She released him, and stepped back, suddenly embarrassed by her impulsive action.

“I’m sorry,” she said, feeling heat build in her cheeks.

“It is fine.” Genji looked away. Small vents in his body opened, releasing steam.

Angela tentatively reached out and touched his arm. The metal was warm beneath her finger tips and very smooth.

“Thank you,” she said when Genji’s gaze snapped back to hers. “You are doing so much for me, and I have not done anything in return.”

“You have done plenty,” he replied, which confused her. Before she could say anything, he stepped back from her touch and looked into the woods. “Come. I will take you back to the cottage, and then I will go retrieve the money.”

Angela smiled. “Okay. Thank you, again. For everything”

He looked back at her, his green visor shining brightly. “You’re welcome.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is conceptually finished (you may have noticed I have a chapter count now) and I fully intend to get it all published. I just don't know when I will be able to write/update, so we'll see how it goes.
> 
> Chapter 7 ETA: 9/20
> 
> For now here is a preview:
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> (●__●)


	7. Examinations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry it took me so long to update. I'll spare you the details, but I had a severe cutback in free time and exhaustion induced lack of inspiration. I do not intend to put this work on hiatus, but I am not sure how regularly I will be able to update.
> 
> I am not particularly happy with this chapter (or its title), but I figured I kept you all waiting long enough. Hopefully you enjoy this relatively angst free chapter.

_ This is a stupid _ , Genji decided as he rushed back to the place where he left the dead smugglers. He was going to get the money, and then what? Leave it behind in place of stolen items? It was already hard enough to avoid getting caught on camera. This would definitely increase that risk.

He did not understand why Angela had such a problem with stealing. When he was still a prince, people would give him whatever he wanted. They would take one look at his face and offer him anything he desired. Now if they looked at his face, they would probably scream in terror and call the police.

_ Angela wouldn't,  _ his mind supplied. No, if she saw the horrid face behind the mask, she would probably look at him with pity. That was almost worse.  _ It is better to let her think I am some superhero than have her know the truth. _

He reached the clearing with the smugglers who thankfully were not too much worse for the wear after a day of being dead. It was a bit surprising no one had found them yet, but he supposed he should count himself lucky they were undisturbed. It was easy enough to rifle through their pockets and find money. He ignored any form of credits, taking only the physical currency he could find. He was lucky criminals dealt mostly in cash since it was harder to trace. He supposed it suited him now that he was a criminal too.

_ Why am I doing this again?  _ he asked himself as he turned over the last corpse.

_ Because Angela asked you to, _ his brain supplied.

_ Yes, but I do not have to do everything she says. _

_ But you like to see her smile. _

He decided that was a fair point as he put the last wad of money in his bag. Her smile was perhaps the only bright thing in his day. Already he found himself dependant on it. It made him wish he were a better man.

He took one last look at the clearing to make sure there was nothing that would trace back to him. One of the benefits to being covered in metal: he left no fingerprints or DNA evidence. His ninja skills ensured there were no footprints to cover. The only evidence that anyone else had been there (aside from the corpses) were Angela's bindings and any other traces she left behind. It was highly unlikely she would be uncovered or linked to the crime.

With that, Genji left the bodies behind for good. Now that his errand was finished, he was eager to return and seek Angela's approval. Perhaps she would reward him with a smile.

  
  


Angela waited impatiently for Genji to return. Perhaps she had been too hard on him; he was just trying to look after her and now she was forcing him to return to the scene of the crime. What if someone saw him? What if he was caught? What if more bandits came and attacked him? He could be injured or worse and she would have no idea. Thankfully he returned after being gone for less than twenty minutes. He held up his bag triumphantly as soon as she saw him.

“You were right! They had plenty of money on them. This should be enough to cover your expenses for at least a month!”

Angela was only half listening. She smiled and approached him, gently settling her hand on his arm. He stiffened but did not pull away.

“Thank you, Genji. I understand this was a lot to ask of you.”

“No, it was I who overreacted.”

She shook her head against his claim. “You are going through such trouble for me. I should not be adding more to your burdens.”

“I can handle a few extra burdens. It is easy for a ninja like me.”

She laughed and at last moved away to give him some space. He relaxed and tilted his head gently to the side, giving her the impression he was smiling too.

“So what happens now?” she asked, genuinely curious as to where they would go.

“Now?” Genji gazed off into the distance as if thinking. “Now we wait. I have a few more tasks to finish in town tonight. Then we will head north in the morning.”

Angela was tempted to ask what waited for them up north, but she held her tongue. Perhaps it was best she did not know too much of Genji's plans. If it was more like what he did when he rescued her, she would rather not think about it. At least, not while their companionship was this new. Perhaps when he trusted her more, she could learn what put him on this path.

The rest of the day they spent going over their inventory, naming Angela's supplies, and making a list of anything she might need. At times Genji pressed that traveling with him would be difficult, but Angela assured him that she was used to traveling with very little and through much harsher conditions.

“This is more like a vacation,” she joked. “I even have a servant to wait on me!”

For some reason Genji found this hilarious. He even got up and dropped into a deep bow. “How can I serve you, Mistress? What does my lady request?”

“Hm… perhaps dinner? I find myself hungry after all this talk of travel.” She put on her best affected voice, fighting a smile.

“Yes, Mistress. Right away, Mistress. A thousand apologies, I should have considered it sooner, Mistress.”

They laughed as they both dropped the act, though Angela confessed she really was feeling a bit hungry. Genji chuckled and made preparations to start a fire. It took a bit of work, but eventually they managed to boil a pot of water and add it to a cup of instant noodles.

“You aren't having any?” Angela asked when he only made a single serving.

Genji shook his head. “I do not eat.”

She frowned and looked down into her noodles, not liking the distant tone of his voice. Again she was tempted to ask questions, but she pushed them away. It was obvious he did not like talking about himself, and she did not want to pry. Instead she used chopsticks to slurp a mouthful of noodles into her mouth.

“I apologize I can not offer you better food. Those instant noodles do not compare to the real thing.”

She shrugged. “Food is food.”

“I wish you could have real ramen. I knew a place that made the best noodles you could ever taste.”

She could not resist. “Back home?”

He paused and then nodded but did not add anything more.

Instead Angela regaled him with tales of the food she ate on her travels, from the worst meals to the best cuisine. Genji laughed as she told him about the bland mush they served in the military camps and listened intently as she described the different flavors of local foods. He shared his input on some Japanese cuisine she needed to try, suggesting a few different meals he could bring back for her. All in all, it was a pleasant evening.

As the sun began to drift low to the west, Genji stood and prepared to leave.

“I apologize, but I need to go now.”

“I understand,” she replied, willing away the pit in her stomach. “Please be careful.”

“A ninja is always careful, but I will make an extra effort because you asked.” His shoulders sagged a bit. “I apologize I must leave you alone. It will be boring out here by yourself.”

She waved him off. “I'll live.”

“Please do not wander far from this location. I will return late tonight or early tomorrow morning.”

“I will see you tomorrow, then?”

He nodded. “Tomorrow. Good night, Angela.”

“Good night, Genji. Good luck.”

He gave her a two finger salute and dashed off into the sunset, leaving Angela to wonder what she would do in the hours before dark.

  
  


As Genji told Angela, ninjas are always careful. That said, he found sneaking back into town surprisingly easy. He ran along the rooftops ( _why was does no one ever think to look up?_ ), hid among brightly light signs ( _honestly right in plane sight!_ ), and stuck to back alleys where security was loose ( _silly_ _fools_ ). It helped that he stuck to the seedier side of town where people were more likely to look the other way than risk their lives.

It was easy to find what he needed. He snuck up behind the unsuspecting victim and threatened him with a blade to the throat. After taking what he needed, he considered killing the man, but the sudden that Angela would not approve stopped him. Instead he released his captive and melted back into the shadows. He waited a moment to watch the man futilely search for his assailant before continuing on to his next destination.

Genji returned to the restaurant from the previous night. From what he could tell, the owner was agitated and making several calls. Good. He was distracted. Likewise, the staff were stressed under the abuse of their boss. No one noticed Genji slip through a storage room window or see him slip a package under some produce. Now to the difficult part of his plan.

He had to time it carefully and wait for the most suitable candidate. He tried to draw on his focus and remain patient, but he was eager to see this through. This phase would be a risk, but also a step closer to his revenge.

At last the right guy stepped out of the building. It was the same one from the previous night, out to take a smoke break. He propped open the door with a cinder block and leaned against the wall, not noticing the ninja watching him from above. Genji held a bottle he picked up from the ground. Carefully judging the distance, he tossed the bottle down the alleyway, hearing it shatter out of sight.

The guy jerked into an alert position, hand reaching for the holster under his jacket. “Who’s there?” he called down the alley.

Seizing his chance, Genji leapt down behind him and kicked the cinder block away. The back door of the restaurant closed, automatically locking from the inside.

“What the hell?” The man turned around and came face to face with the wakizashi blade. His eyes widened, and he tried to draw his gun.

“Do not move if you value your life,” Genji ordered. “Speak and I will not hesitate to slit your throat.”

The lackey froze, obviously terrified. As Genji suspected, he had little in the way of warrior instinct. He was a paid dog, more loyal to his life than his master.

“Move your hand away from the gun and take out your phone.”

The man did as he said, trembling as he pulled the phone out of his pocket.

“Listen carefully. I want you to dial 110. I want you to tell the operator there is a crime at this location. Tell them your boss has been forcing you to smuggle weapons and drugs. Tell them there are drugs in the restaurant right now. Tell them your name and your boss’s name and that you fear for your life. Be sincere for I assure you your life will definitely be in danger if they don’t believe you. Understood?”

He shakily nodded and dialed the phone. Genji listened to the man recite what he said, pushing the blade closer if he did not sound terrified enough. The operator asked him to stay on the line, but as Genji threatened the man, he quickly improvised, saying that his boss was coming and that he needed to go or else he would be caught.

“You did very well,” Genji congratulated him.

“Your plan won’t work, Omnic. ” The man sneered. “The boss has dealt with police investigations before. He’s always come away clean.”

“We shall see.” Genji sliced the man’s throat and dumped the body in the dumpster. Two birds with one stone, that was the saying right?

That business taken care of, it was time to go shopping for Angela. He cheered at the thought of using his ninja skills for a less gruesome job.

About an hour or so later, Genji paid a final visit to the restaurant. It was already closed and surrounded by police cars. Investigators were checking the body in the dumpster while others carried away crime scene evidence from inside the kitchen. Genji distinctly recognized a familiar package of cocaine that had been planted in a fruit crate. He wondered what the investigators would make of the sparrowhawk feather nested inside.

Satisfied with his work, he could finally return to Angela and leave this town behind.

  
  


_ Agony! Help! I want to live! I need to live! The pain is too much! No! No! No! It is getting dark! I don’t want to die! This isn’t the end! Save me! Please! Have mercy! _

Angela awoke with a start. This dream lingered, a pain that was not hers yet she felt all too keenly. In the dream she was somehow both the sufferer and the onlooker. She shuddered at the sensation of being there both desperately wanting to live yet suffering in agony while also watching from the outside unable to do anything. She had never felt so helpless.

She got out of bed, all thoughts of sleep banished by the terror of her dream. It was still dark, probably in the wee hours of the morning. She should have asked Genji to bring her a watch; it was impossible for her to check the time.

For lack of anything else to do, she decided to leave the cottage. Maybe the night air would offer her some relief. She grabbed the flashlight sitting next to her bed, slipped on her shoes, and left to explore.

She barely got a metre from the door before she noticed a shape in the dark. At first she thought it might be some animal, and carefully maneuvered the beam of light from her flashlight so as not to startle it. Instead of illuminating a furry creature, the light reflected off Genji's metal armor. Angela nearly dropped the light in surprise.

He was seated on the ground in a relaxed position. None of the lights one his body glowed, leaving him completely in the dark. He did not react to the light shining on him or her presence. In fact, he seemed completely lifeless. Angela crept closer to him, wary that any moment he would jump into action. He did not move even when she got within arm’s length. If she listened carefully, she could hear his even breathing. Could he be asleep?

When he still did not respond, she decided that theory was true. He was so eerily still, strange after she had grown accustomed to his near constant movement. For the first time, she thought he looked inhuman. Without movement or sound, he seemed like an empty shell of metal. The thought made her breath hitch.

She decided to use this opportunity to examine him up close. When he was awake, she was always careful not to stare. He seemed so self conscious of his appearance; a pity because to her he was a masterpiece. The synthetic material of his carapace elegantly fit together to make a form that was both strong and dexterous. His joints were a work of genius, smooth and mobile without the clunky bolts of an Omnic. Every inch of him was designed to appear human yet enhanced. She had never seen anything like it. Without realizing it, her hand reached out to touch, but she caught herself before it could make contact with his armor. She felt a strong desire to trace the seams with her fingers, to understand how he was put together. But it was wrong to molest him in his sleep.

Despite this thought, her hand hovered over of the release of his helm. She was sorely tempted to glimpse the face beneath the mask, but that was even worse than touching him without permission. How could she betray his trust when he had been nothing but a gentleman to her?

Ashamed, she lowered the light away from his head, unintentionally illuminating a detail she had missed. There on his chest were characters written silver, undoubtedly in japanese. Angela leaned down to get a better look, but she could make nothing of them. She wished she could read the language, wondering what this small secret could hold.

Abruptly she pulled away. As fascinated as she was by the enigma of Genji, it was still wrong to spy on him in his unconscious state. She felt like she had taken advantage of him in his moment of weakness. He trusted her enough to sleep near her presence, and yet she perversely exploited that trust. Disgusted by her own lack of propriety, she took a few steps away, removing herself from temptation.

She decided to go to the toilet, something to do other than stare at Genji. If he awoke while she was there, hopefully he would not suspect what she had been doing minutes prior. Then she could sneak back into the cottage and pretend nothing had happened.

  
  


Genji was awake the moment he heard Angela open the door to hut. He kept the lights on his body off, a trick he had learned while hiding in the dark. It took a bit of conscious effort, but nothing that taxed him overmuch. The main downside was that his night vision was also off, making it difficult to see anything in the dark.

He was not sure what he had hoped to accomplish by hiding from her, perhaps not to startle her, perhaps to see what she would do, but all hope of remaining hidden vanished when her flashlight cast over him. He watched the light shake and then steady on him as Angela slowly approached. He focused on keeping his breathing even as she paused in front of him, more than a little curious to see what she would do.

He heard her breath hitch a little and then the light began to travel over his body. He was lucky that the light reflecting off his metal plating  was enough to partially illuminate her face. He watched her expression shift between curiosity and wonder as she examined him. He was tempted to ask her what she was thinking, to know what made her marvel over the monstrosity of his body, but he held his tongue. She was so close, so dangerously and wondrously close, that he was loathe to scare her off.

He did not notice her hand reaching for him until she snatched it away. Part of him was glad she did not touch him, but part of him wanted to feel that bit of contact. He wished it could be more than the sensors registering pressure against his plating and truly feel her warmth against his skin. Skin he no longer had, he reminded himself.

He almost gave up the facade when she reached for his mask. He was not ready for her to see his face, could never be ready for her to see the ruin beneath the mask. His heart pounded as she hovered over the latch. If she dared to press it, he would reveal himself, scaring her be damned. He waited, fighting the urge to end this now.

But she pulled away. He could see the shame on her face and knew that he was right to trust her. That was close, so close, but he was not willing to lose her yet. He knew she would have to leave eventually, but for now he could enjoy her companionship.

He watched her focus shift downward to something on his body he could not see. He wondered what she saw that made her brow furrow. He was tempted to ask her, but he felt letting her know he was awake would only embarrass her. He continued to watch her in silence until she eventually pulled away.

It was a shame that once she moved the light he could no longer see her features. He realized that while she had been studying him, he had also been studying her. It was difficult to see in the awkward light of her flashlight, but the curiosity on her face caught him off-guard. The pure wonder in her eyes bespoke of innocence and youth only compounded by the way her hair hung loose around her face. Yet when she pulled away, the shame on her brow erased the softness of innocence, replacing it with the sharpness of wizened restraint. As grateful as he was that she did not remove his mask, he wondered what mistakes she had made in the past that warranted such an expression. Only one who knew the consequences of unchecked curiosity would have a look such as that. He knew from personal experience.

Eventually she stepped away, moving to the toilet. Once the door closed behind her, Genji saw no reason to continue pretense of being asleep. He let the lights on his body resume their glow and listened to his hydraulics click back into a ready position. He debated whether or not he should say something to her when she came back. Should he tell her he knew she had been examining him? She would likely be embarrassed, and he would also have to explain why he was pretending to be asleep. No, it was easier on both of them if he did not mention it. If she brought it up, then he would say something, but otherwise it was better to leave it be.

Angela soon reappeared. She froze when she saw he was awake. With his night vision restored, he could clearly see the fleeting panic and shame cross her features, but she quickly schooled her expression.

“Hello, Genji. I did not expect to see you until morning.”

“I completed my mission early, so I returned.”

“Everything went well, I hope.”

“Better than I expected.” He cocked his head at her. “You are up late.”

“I couldn't sleep,” she admitted. “I had a nightmare.”

“I see.” That was understandable for her situation. She  _ had _ been kidnapped two days ago and seen several men killed before her. “Would you like to talk about it?”

“I don't remember the details,” she said, fidgeting for a moment before moving closer. “Just this sense of helplessness.”

“As when you were taken?”

She shook her head. “No, no, not like that. There was something I… I couldn't… I wanted to help… I was struggling, but there was nothing I could do.”

Genji noticed tears forming in her eyes; this dream was really affecting her. He gestured for her to sit by him, waiting for her to fold herself gracefully on the ground before asking, “Do you have nightmares often?”

She nodded, discreetly dabbing at her eyes. “I do. Nearly every night. I don't remember most of them after I wake up, but I know they are terrible. I can't tell you the number of times I woke up crying.”

Nightmares every night did not seem normal. Genji looked over to her in concern. “Do you have any idea what triggers these dreams?”

Angela shrugged. “I have seen many horrible things. The war, the wounded, all the people I could not save…. I never stayed in one place long, but I remember the faces. So many good people lost their lives.”

He tried to think of something he could say in response to that. So many people had passed through his life that he had never considered. He was never haunted by the people he killed, never even bothered to remember their names. When he lived in the palace, the only people that mattered were his family, and now the same held true. Except for Angela. She was the only one he let close. He knew he would remember her name long after they parted ways.

“I think the people, the ones you could not save, I think they would not want you to feel guilt over their deaths. If it were me, I would not want you to hold onto me in grief. I would want us both to be free.”

“What do you mean?”

“If you cling to what is lost, you will never move on, and the memory can never move to a happy place.”

“That makes sense.” Her lips curved in a gentle smile. “Thank you, Genji. That really helps.”

He bowed his head, silently wondering where that wisdom had come from. Maybe it was something he had picked up from his lessons, or maybe it was just something he pulled out his ass. Either way, it made Angela smile. “I am happy to help.”

A breeze gusted into the clearing, making her shiver. He noticed she was dressed in only sweatpants and a loose shirt. With autumn approaching it was getting rather cold at night.

“It is late,” he said. “You should go back sleep.”

She looked like she was about to say something, but yawned instead. “Alright. I shall see you in the morning.”

He watched her get up and head back to the hut, not bothering to move from his position. “I will be here if you have another nightmare.”

She smiled back at him. “Goodnight, Genji.”

“Goodnight, Angela.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *110 is the Japanese number specifically to call police
> 
> *I headcanon Angela is a really sloppy eater
> 
> Thank you such much to everyone who left comments and kudos! You guys are my inspiration!
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> Chapter 8 ETA: soonish (hopefully)
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